K'lalatar Prnaklir K'lalatar Prkori Nav02
by MicioGatta
Summary: Who's T'Mir? This story answers to the questions left open in "I Naviganti 1: K'lalatar Prkori K'lalatar Prnaklir". Please note that this is mostly an AU  some character maybe be/seem OoC . Warning: there's an implied not descripted sexual violence scene
1. Chapter 1

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite ****Combinations ****in Infinite ****Diversity****)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration

* * *

Dedicated to my Mother

Author's Notes: «Star Trek: Enterprise» and its characters are not mine. I used them only to enjoy myself and I'll bring them back at home before midnight. No payment was received for this work. T'Mir in this story is my own creation.

I'm writing my stories in Italian because this is my native language and I enjoy doing it (and Seti - my best friend and my first betareader - doesn't want to read them in English). I'm trying to translate them into English, because my friend Mihaela told me there's a lot of people who would like to read it, and Asso and Seti agree. So if you like them, please, let me know. There's no reason to continue in translation if no one is interested in them.

This story is partially set between «Harbinger» and «E2» in the universe of "Enterprise" and partial in an Alternate Universe.

There are some references to the stories «Eternal Warrior» by Stub and Quills and «Gateway» by Quills. All the similarities to other stories are accidental.

Many thanks to my best friends and first betareaders (in Italian) Seti and Franz, to Asso, Opalsmith and all the «How cute is Connor Trinneer/Trip Tucker?» fans on TrekUnited who supported me in this work, in particular to Tishkajaku, who patiently betaread my first work, and to Zero Credibility, who's betareading this one :).

* * *

§1

Trip Tucker put his foot on the edge of the catwalk, clinging to the railing, and pulled up without using the stairs. He no longer felt any effect from walking near the warp drive. He vaguely regretted the time when the delta-rays emitted by engines made him sick. At least that meant he wasn't inured to it.

He began to do the routine checks. Everything was as it should be.

«Commander?»

Trip looked up to the heavens, when he heard the Vulcan's flat voice. «What do you want, Soval?» he asked.

«The captain asked me to help you to do the diagnostics.»

The engineer turned toward him. «I'm already done.» He gave him a sidelong glance. «Tell the captain that everything is alright here.»

«Mayweather must have hit a bump, because my engines are perfect.» (Yes, I know this is an obsession).

Trip smiled slightly when he saw T'Pol coming.

«Soval, you can return to Captain Forrest.» she said, drawing back a lock of hair from her face. «I will help the commander.»

The Vulcan went onto the catwalk and began the diagnostic checks.

«I've checked everything.» Trip said, his voice annoyed. But T'Pol didn't stop working on the console. «You think you know more than me?» Tucker went up to her, pressing up against her side.

«I think it's best to double check.»

Trip put his fingers through the Vulcan's long hair. «How much time is left to your next pon farr?»

She turned away abruptly. «There is something in the collector. It's dirty.»

«You haven't answered me,» he exclaimed, grabbing her arm.

T'Pol turned, looking at him hard. «I've already told you that we Vulcans mate once every seven years.»

Tucker pulled her toward him, squeezing her against his body. «I bet that another mating before then would give you the same pleasure.»

She pulled free. «We must clean the collector.» Swiftly, she climbed down from the catwalk.

Trip sighed slightly. «Bitch.» he whispered. He ran a hand through his hair, reflected in a display panel. He knew he was desirable and didn't accept that a woman could have rejected him. Above all, a Vulcan slave.

(To be continued...)

* * *

This work is already finished and betareaded in Italian, if you can speak Italian you can read it on my blog. If not... be patient and leave comments, if I see there's someone interested in my stories, I'll try to translate them as soon as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite ****Combinations ****in Infinite ****Diversity****)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration

* * *

§2

T'Pol finished combing her wet hair. After leaving the engine room she had felt the urge to wash for a long time. Not that she didn't like commander Tucker, but he had the typical manner of a slimy Human that she could barely stand, as well as his smell. And not only he, but all Humans stank. Otherwise, Trip had something that managed to soften her. Sometimes he had rare moments of kindness and at least he was willing to make compromises that most Humans wouldn't even consider.

«Come in.» she said, when she heard the doorbell. «Is it all done?» She pushed aside the bangs from her eyes.

Soval nodded. «Lets just hope it works.»

«Interuniversal travel is even less credible than time travel.»

«You're a scientist, T'Pol, and as such you must have an open mind. If our ancestors hadn't had an open mind, travelling at warp would not be possible today.»

She sighed. «I wonder if that wouldn't be better.» She closed her eyes, imagining Vulcan isolated from the rest of the Terran Empire. It wasn't a bad idea.

A strong concussion shook the ship.

«Here we are» Soval said, clinging to the table.

«We must go and see what is happening in engineering. The portal should open there.»

They ran through the corridors, in the midst of chaos from the sudden drop out of warp, and the explosion. Many members of the crew were lying on the floor, some in shock, others with injuries of various kinds. T'Pol ignored them, running on towards E deck. Soval could barely keep up. Maybe it was just a vain hope. Maybe thinking about moving into another universe made no sense: there would be slaves there too.

Reaching D deck she could already smell burnt plastic. She emerged in the observation room and saw the engines on fire. «It wasn't supposed to be like this.» she whispered.

«No...» replied Soval.

T'Pol climbed down the stairs and ran to the back of the warp drive, where Soval had connected the generator. It was supposed to open a portal, not destroy the drive. There were several people on the ground, but she didn't care. She looked around, looking for the portal.

Nothing.

«Damn...» she whispered. She walked around the engines, looking for the opening... until she heard a familiar voice, barely audible in the chaos around her.

«T'Pol...»

The Vulcan turned to see Trip Tucker lying on the ground.

She walked cautiously towards him. «Commander Tucker...» she whispered. She crouched down beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder. She shuddered when she noticed that the right side of Trip's face had been completely burned. Probably due to delta-rays. «I will call for help.» she said. She stood up and pressed the button on the nearest comm station.

No sound.

She tried again, but communications were out of order. She decided to go to sickbay herself, but her run was interrupted abruptly by commander Archer, who forcefully grabbed her by the shoulders. «Where are you running so fast?» Behind him, smiling wickedly, was the one who T'Pol secretly called «his bootlicker - not to say something-else-licker," Hoshi Sato. T'Pol thought she was one of the most evil women of all Humanity, which was hardly noted for its goodness.

«There are many wounded crewmembers.» she said. She wouldn't say that she was running just for Trip, because she knew it would make Archer jealous. «Communications are down.»

Archer shoved her away. «Go, then.»

He walked up to Tucker. «Trip.»

Trip turned slightly towards him.

«What the hell happened here?» he asked.

Trip shook his head slightly, the movement sending pain shooting through him from his burnt skin.

Archer ignored him, distracted by a bluish ball that floated just above them. «What the hell is that?» he asked, reaching out. «It looks like a small flash of warp...»

«Don't touch it!» warned Soval.

Archer glared at him. «Then this is your work.»

«No,» he lied, «but I've seen things like that and I know that... they are dangerous.»

Hoshi came up, completely ignoring Trip at her feet, who complained as she practically kicked him. «Well now, isn't that interesting?» She put her hand on Archer's shoulder. «You see, Jon, probably the Vulcan told you it's dangerous because he doesn't you want to touch it.»

Soval took a deep breath. «Don't touch it... Or... you'll end up like commander Tucker...»

Archer laughed. «Yeah.» He reached out and stuck a hand into the blue ball.

* * *

(To be continued...)


	3. Chapter 3

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite ****Combinations**** in Infinite ****Diversity****)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration

* * *

§3

«How are you feeling?... Captain?»

Archer slowly opened his eyes and found himself staring at a smiling, courteous, kind Phlox, dressed in cream coloured gown. «Phlox?» he asked.

«Yes, sir. It's me.»

He pulled up on one elbow, looking at the Denobulan. «Captain?» he asked. He wasn't captain. Forrest had stolen his rank... «Where's that son of a bitch Soval?» he asked.

Phlox looked at him in amazement, more for the epithet. «I have no idea. To my knowledge no one has contacted us, I guess he's still on his Vulcan ship, probably far away from here.»

Archer shook his head slightly. «What are you saying?» He pushed the blankets away and swung his legs off the bed.

«Easy, Captain!» Phlox said.

«What happened to me?» he demanded.

«We don't know. Lieutenant Reed believes that engineering has been struck by a micro-singularity which collided with you, Hoshi and Commander Tucker.» Phlox sighed. «You and Hoshi are fine, but commander Tucker...»

Archer pulled up. «What?»

Phlox slightly opened the curtain and spoke softly: «I have finished treating his wound. He's still sedated... but I fear it will be hard to erase the scar.» He had to admit he wasn't very good with scars.

«That doesn't matter.» Archer said. «Will he still be able to work the engines?"

The doctor looked slightly surprised. «Yes... yes, of course captain.» He closed the curtain. «Fortunately, the damage doesn't seem particularly serious.»

Archer nodded slightly and looked at Hoshi. «Send her to my quarters, when she wakes up.»

«Your quarters?» asked Phlox.

«Yes, Phlox. My quarters.» he said.

«Are you okay, Captain?"

Archer stopped on the door of the sickbay. No, he didn't feel right. Something was wrong. He cast a last look at Phlox before leaving. It was all wrong. Phlox was too friendly. It made him nervous. And why did he call him "captain"?

Only then he noticed that his uniform was different. Not very different, but the emblem of the Terran Empire was missing from his sleeve.

«Where am I?» he whispered to himself. They called him Captain... Archer paused, leaning with one hand on the wall. He had heard about interuniversal trips. The Vulcans had studied them for a long time and it was rumoured that many of them had changed universe. Maybe this was the explanation.

«Captain?»

He recognized Malcolm Reed's voice, and turned around. What was he wearing? He had a blue Starfleet uniform, not his usual MACO uniform. And the uniform was slightly different.

«Captain, are you all right?»

«Yes,» he said. «The doctor said I can go to my quarters.»

Reed nodded and handed him a PADD. «You wanted me to update you on the damage.»

Archer thought it was a chance to get some directions, without asking where he wanted to go. «I'm pretty tired, I'm heading back to my quarters. Can you make your report as we go?»

The other man nodded and fell in beside him. «Of course. Whatever it was, it has caused slight damage to the engines. It will not take much time to repair...»

«How long?»

Reed hesitated. «Four or five days. I hope that Commander Tucker gets better soon... it will be much quicker with his help.»

They stopped at the door to Archer's quarters. Reed passed him the PADD. «Have a good rest, Captain.»

Archer nodded and took the PADD. He opened the door and looked in. Excellent accommodation, he thought. From here he could keep track of everything. «Porthos» he called.

No dog came.

After a few seconds a cat strolled into sight, stopping at the corner of the bed.

«A cat?» he said disgusted. «Are you Porthos' meal?»

The cat flattened his ears back and started to hiss at him.

Archer jumped back. His Porthos had never growled. He approached again, but the cat continued to hiss. «Filthy beast.» he said. He pressed the intercom. «Archer to security. There is a wild animal in my quarters. Come and take it away.»

Phlox arrived with a cage. «What animal escaped from me this time?» He had to admit he was a bit clumsy in keeping his animals confined in the sickbay.

Archer pointed. The cat still had his ears flattened and snarled at the captain.

Phlox' eyes widened, smiling. «And that is the 'wild animal'?»

«It growled at me.»

«Athos!» Phlox said, picking up the tortoise shell cat. «Captain, have you forgotten your cat?»

Archer didn't answer. «Can you take it away?»

The doctor nodded. The cat rubbed against Phlox, and glowered suspiciously at Archer until he was out of sight.

«A cat.» said a voice behind Archer. He turned and saw Hoshi.

«Is it a bad joke, *Captain*?» The woman laughed. «Pointed ears, masked emotions, composed and logical attitude. Just like a Vulcan.»

«Do you know where we are?»

«In another universe.» Hoshi said.

«That much I already know.»

Archer dropped into a chair. «It seems that Vulcans aren't slaves in this universe, since Soval has a ship of his own.» He tapped his fist on the armrest.

«So you have some learning to do.» She raised her hand and showed the Vulcan greeting. «Did you find T'Pol?»

«Not yet.»

Hoshi threw herself on the bed and looked up at him. «If you don't get me some cosmetics, I'll go crazy.»

«Why?» He said. «You're so beautiful, all water and soap.»

She gave him a sidelong glance. «I look like a sixteen year old.»

«Exactly.» Archer smiled at her. «We can take advantage of this situation.»

* * *

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zery Credibility that is betareading this work! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite ****Combinations**** in Infinite ****Diversity****)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

* * *

§4

T'Pol pulled back the curtain and looked behind it. Trip was still asleep on the bed, the right side of his face bandaged. The Vulcan approached him slowly.

A year and a half ago, when they started doing neuropressure together, a deep bond had formed between them. They had come to spend so much time together that there had been gossip about them.

T'Pol didn't care. The rumors weren't true, nothing had happened between them but neuropressure.

She knew that Trip was very attracted to her. And she liked Trip very much. But she had been betrothed to Koss, even though she had postponed the wedding for almost four years. When she returned home, she had spoken for a long time with her mother. And in the end she had done what logic dictated: married Koss and returned to the Enterprise.

The marriage had never been consummated and, like the love between her and commander Tucker, remained latent, platonic.

Koss had dissolved the marriage a few months ago, and she hadn't had the courage to tell Trip. He had found out only by gossip. Her mother had made her think in a logical manner. They had no future, it was better not to even start a relationship that had no hopes. Trip Tucker was so different from her. Impulsive, practical, shameless, a little exhibitionist.

She took his hand gently. «Trip.» she whispered.

She remained so for several minutes, until Tucker's only visible eye fluttered slightly and slowly began to open. «Who... Who the hell are you?» he whispered.

T'Pol almost withdrew her hand. Trip didn't always use appropriate terms – in particular she didn't understand why he often called Archer "son of a bitch", given his passion for cats - but he had never used such a phrase in her presence.

«T'Pol?» He said, with an almost disgusted glance. «Why did you cut your hair like that?"

The Vulcan raised an eyebrow. In fact in the last few months she had let her hair grow a little longer, and combed it in a style more Terran than Vulcan. It was an indulgence that she had allowed herself, and had not gone unnoticed by Trip.

«How do you feel?» she asked.

«Fuck.» he said. «It hurts like hell...» He put his hand on his face. «Delta-rays, right?»

T'Pol nodded. «Trip...»

«Go away, bitch.» he said.

She looked at him in amazement.

«Leave me alone!»

T'Pol turned on her heel and left. She felt hurt, but as a Vulcan couldn't show it. The surprises didn't end. Phlox was entering the sickbay with Athos in his arms. «He was hissing at Captain Archer.» Phlox said, setting the cat down on a cabinet.

«How strange. I remember in my early days on the Enterprise, Athos hissed at me too.» Of course, she had been considered the spy sent to check on Archer, naturally his cat had hated her.

She hadn't minded. Archer's affection for a quadruped that could not speak (but at least knew how to use the toilet) was illogical, but that cat was a useful animal. She hadn't especially disliked him, he was almost invisible, walking around the ship without anyone noticing his presence, given the pace of his soft and silent paws. When one of Phlox's pet escaped, which was very common indeed, it was usually Athos who returned it to the sickbay, leading it gently as female cats do with their kitties.

She knew that in the past on Earth, cats were usually resident on ships to hunt rats. She had read that in Venice, a naval power in the past, vessels were considered safe only if at least two cats were on board. To T'Pol, Athos was a travelling companion, discreet and intelligent. He also had pointy ears, hid his emotions easily and seemed to act according to logic. Practically a Vulcan on Earth.

The only problem was that the cat's logic was not exactly clear to T'Pol. Archer had said it was: "I do what I want, because I can".

T'Pol approached the cat and gave him a pat on the head. Athos pushed his forehead against her palm. She had read that cats rub against people to leave their scent on them - of course T'Pol would wash her hands immediately after that - but Archer had assured her that if he rubbed his forehead against her it was a sign of affection.

«It's weird.» Phlox said, seeing the gesture. «I thought that Athos was in a bad mood to hiss at Archer. But then he would have hissed at you too, wouldn't he?»

«Yes.» T'Pol said. She drew back her hand and Athos moved forward, looking at her as if to say "Why the hell did you take away your hand?"

T'Pol had already admitted that the cat was very beautiful. He had orange and black spots on milky white fur, yellow eyes that seemed full moons. He probably knew the ship better than anyone else, because with his small size and extreme agility he could slip into places that even Tucker never reached. T'Pol had not been surprised to learn that the more narrow walkways were called "catwalks".

Oh, Trip.

«Commander Tucker is behaving strangely.» whispered T'Pol.

«Did he wake up?»

T'Pol nodded.

Phlox approached the bed. «Commander Tucker» he said, with his cheery, alien accented voice. «How do you feel?»

«My face is burning.»

«I know. Delta rays.»

Trip swore. «I'll be left with a fuckin' scar!»

«I'm afraid so.» Phlox said.

«Fuck.»

* * *

(To be continued...)

Thanks to my betareaders, Seti & Franz for the original Italian version and the plot, Zero Credibility for the English version.


	5. Chapter 5

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§5

There was another thing that she appreciated in cats: they would sit for a long time with their paws gathered under their body, eyes closed, but without sleep, in what seemed in every way a state of meditation.

T'Pol opened her eyes and looked at Athos sitting in front of her, his pink nose pointed at the candle, his eyes closed and relaxed, with a peaceful expression typical of someone who was meditating with pleasure. The cat had decided, on his own initiative, to spend the night in T'Pol's quarters. To her it seemed increasingly true what Archer had said, that Athos' logic, like all cats, was "I do it because I can."

She was as accustomed to the smell of the cat as she was to the humans'... in fact she rather liked Trip's smell. She wouldn't ever admit it, of course.

T'Pol blew out the candle and Athos, feeling the slight movement of air, half-opened one eye. Then he stood up on all fours and stretched when T'Pol stood up too. The Vulcan blew the other candles, under the inquisitive and curious stare from the cat.

She had heard a saying once: "Curiosity kills the cat." It wasn't very nice, but Malcolm Reed had told her that this was only part of a longer English saying: "Curiosity kills the cat, but satisfaction brings him back to life."

She slipped under the blankets, but the cat continued to watch her. She had the impression that, while on Vulcan high intellectual ability, dexterity and telepathy were concentrated in humanoid form, on Earth they were spilt between Humans and cats. Both had intellectual abilities, but while Humans had all the manual skills, cats had the telepathic abilities.

«What?» she asked. Archer talked to his cat, that wasn't a thing to send her to court martial.

Athos cocked his head to the right.

«Yes, I agree with you, commander Tucker was behaving in a strange way with me.» She decided to ignore the cat's other implied questions and turned off the light.

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who is betareading this work in English, to Seti and Franz that betaread it in Italian.


	6. Chapter 6

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§6

«Yes... Mhmmm... Trip, go on, it's perfect... I mean... correct... You've become very good at neuropressure... aaaaaaaah... excellent... oh yes...»

T'Pol opened her eyes, slowly waking up. She was lying face down in her bed, she felt a light touch, soft and sweet, along the sides of her spine. «Oh, Trip...» she whispered.

Then she suddenly opened her eyes.

Tucker wasn't close to her, indeed, he was in the sickbay and the night before he had also treated her badly... worse than when they were at the beginning of the journey.

So who was giving her neuropressure?

She turned her head, finding herself nose to nose with Athos.

The cat was kneeding her back.

T'Pol turned, forcing Athos to slide down. Definitely she liked that animal; he could also do neuropressure! But...

«Get out of my bed.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who is betareading this work in English, to Seti and Franz that betaread it in Italian.


	7. Chapter 7

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§7

The doorbell rang.

Archer turned on his side and increased the lighting in the room.

«Forget it.» Hoshi said, behind him. «If it's important they'll come back.»

«No.» he said, pulling on his underwear. «Let's see who is breaking my balls.» He opened the door and stared at T'Pol, slightly surprised. «Commander.» He said.

But, strangely, even T'Pol was surprised. «Captain, I...» She looked away from Hoshi. «I wanted to ask how you are and if you have any... special orders for today.»

«I want you to check the spot where the accident occurred. Find any fault there may have been.»

T'Pol nodded. «Aye, sir.» She cast another glance at Sato, who gave her a wicked smile, then walked away. She had to talk to Phlox about that too. Archer had broken the rules, sleeping with Hoshi, but that was not the problem. It was that his behaviour was completely different from what would be expected from both of them.

Yes, it had always been pretty obvious that there was affection between them. Archer was very protective of Hoshi.

But going this far... she shook her head and went down to engineering.

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who is betareading this work in English, to Seti and Franz that betaread it in Italian.


	8. Chapter 8

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§8

«Absolutely ridiculous.» Hoshi said, when the door closed.

-Absolutely sexy.- Archer thought. -I have to fuck her.- He opened a wardrobe and pulled out his uniform.

«What are you doing?» she asked.

«I have to figure out how to get back to our universe.» He said. «In this one, Vulcans have too much freedom, Denobulans are too good and the Humans have no spine. I don't like it.»

Hoshi kicked off the covers. «I'm looking for something decent to wear and some makeup.»

«Find out when your work shift starts.» He left the quarters and went quickly towards the bridge. He was just about to start screaming when he saw T'Pol sitting on the captain's chair, but the Vulcan was already on her feet, leaving him the seat.

«News?»

«Lieutenant Reed has scanned the area. Microfractures on one of the access panels suggest that the explosion was centered near the starboard power converter.»

«And what was it?»

T'Pol sat at her science console. «We have been unable to determine that. One hypothesis is that there has been a combination of delta radiation and a micro-singularity.»

Archer let out a sarcastic laugh. »Micro-singularities are Vulcan legends. There is no scientific proof of their existence.»

T'Pol raised an eyebrow. They had already had this discussion four years ago. «A white hole, Captain.»

That was already more interesting. «Is it still there?»

«No.»

«Is it possible to recreate it?»

The Vulcan thought back to Trip, lying in the infirmary bed, his face bandaged. «We're investigating.»

«So why are you still here?» said the captain. «Get down to engineering.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who is betareading this work in English, to Seti and Franz that betaread it in Italian.


	9. Chapter 9

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§9

«Why is Archer so interested in this thing? The problem has gone.» Reed took the panel off and looked inside it.

«They have already all been replaced, right?» said T'Pol.

Reed nodded. «Yes, the cables are all in place. I've been working with Ensign Luzzi to replace the buffer assemblies, but without Trip we're making slow progress.» He looked at her. «Would you give us a hand, if you have free time?»

T'Pol raised an eyebrow. «I do not have Commander Tucker's manual skill.»

Reed smiled slightly. «Neither do I.» He gave her a hyperspanner and went behind the engine to realign the grid.

«I'm going to extract the circuit, I can't fix it from here.» T'Pol reached in with her right hand, but pulled her hand back with a yelp.

«What happened?» Malcolm ran back to her. «T'Pol?»

«I touched something hot.»

Malcolm took her hand gently. It was burned and had a circular mark on the back. «There should be nothing hot in there.» He turned to the nearby comm station and pressed the button. «Reed to sickbay.»

«That isn't necessary.» T'Pol said, withdrawing her hand.

«Phlox here.»

Malcolm looked at T'Pol. The burning didn't seem very serious, but her hand trembled slightly. He turned to the intercom. Ignoring her objection, Malcolm said «Phlox, T'Pol was burned. It seems mild, but I would prefer you to come down to engineering to take a look at it.»

«Coming,» The alien doctor's cheerful voice said.

«That wasn't necessary.» T'Pol said.

«Just humour me, would you?» said Reed, looking inside the case. «That's strange... Take a look at it.»

The Vulcan approached. «It looks like the slit that caused the release of delta radiation.»

Malcolm nodded. He turned slightly, finding T'Pol's face inches away. «What?»

She shook her head slightly and turned away when he heard Phlox enter. «It's just a slight burn.» She said. «Whatever that blue ball is, it made the lateral calibration grid incandescent.»

Phlox took her hand. «That's quite a serious burn» He passed a medical tricorder on the back. «You must come to sickbay. And fast.»

T'Pol raised an eyebrow.

«This burn is teeming with germs» he explained.

«Germs?» asked Malcolm.

«Yes, and most are unknown. It's almost as if they came from another... universe...»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who is betareading this work in English, to Seti and Franz that betaread it in Italian.


	10. Chapter 10

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§10

T'Pol sat at the computer in her quarters. Her hand was still sore, the burn was still swollen with infection, but Phlox had stopped it just in time, before it could spread.

While in the sickbay, she had enquired about Tucker's status. Phlox had told her he was using an osmotic eel to try to reduce the scar: for this and his high irritability, Phlox was keeping him sedated.

T'Pol looked in the Vulcan database. All Enterprise crew knew the attraction between her and Trip. Many of them, probably, had imagined more than had really happened. Now the engineer's accident had awakened in her feelings which she had tried so hard to kept at bay.

She liked Tucker, she couldn't continue to hide it from herself. She would like to get engaged with him, to have a relationship, also to think about a future together... An impossible future. Enterprise's mission would not last forever, and it would be impossible to stay together afterwards.

When the picture of a small blue sphere appeared on the monitor, she sighed. The doubts she had shared with Phlox were confirmed. Parallel universes.

Maybe Archer, Tucker and Sato had been hit by waves from a parallel universe and their mental condition was altered.

She closed the database and went to the porthole. Because they were still out of warp, the stars hung in front of her. She couldn't see planets from this distance. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the transparent aluminium.

Trip had told her once of a Florida beach with white sand, palm trees, turquoise sea with small waves. He told her that he wanted to spend his old age in a wooden house, mounted on stilts planted in the sand, with a big porch, where he could watch the sea in the evening, and relax in the hot hours, breathing the breeze of the Atlantic Ocean.

It seemed like a dream for her too.

Trip was on the porch, sitting on a wicker sofa with large and soft creamy white cushions, the sunset over the sea, the scent of the blue ocean came into the house. He was holding a glass of fresh milk, sipping slowly. She cut two slices of pecan pie and reached him on the porch. She handed him a slice and sat on the couch next to him. Trip smiled, spoke to her... kissed her. After eating the pie they went inside, to their bedroom...

The sound of the doorbell brought her abruptly to reality.

It was a dream that could never come true.

They had not even gone beyond the kiss, there, on the idyllic and perfect Enterprise... Trip used to say "Small town gossip spreads like wildfire"... «Come in.» she said.

Captain Archer entered. «Am I disturbing you?» he asked.

She shook her head. «Lieutenant Reed and I have discovered that the blue sphere that appeared during the incident in the engineering could be a connection to another universe.»

Archer nodded. «Very well.» It was what they wanted. «Do you think we can use it?»

T'Pol raised an eyebrow. «How?»

«Phlox says that he found on you microbes that are perhaps from another universe. So I guess things can pass through this connection.»

«Passing microbes is not like transfering Humans or Vulcans.»

-Logical bitch.- he thought. In any case, they had succeeded. It was just matter of feeding more energy to the sphere to open the connection so he could return to his universe.

There was only one thing he wanted to do, before trying the transfer.

He put a hand on T'Pol's shoulder.

She raised an eyebrow. «Captain?»

«You're a very independent woman, much more than the Terrans.»

T'Pol couldn't understand what he meant. In addition, Archer's hand on her shoulder made her feel uneasy. She took a step back. «If you don't have anything more to tell me, I...»

Archer took her bandaged hand. «Does it still hurt?»

T'Pol pulled it away. «No.»

«I've had enough with your games.» Archer leaned forward, grabbing her arms and kissed her.

She pushed back hard. «Captain!» she said, her voice sharper than she intended.

Archer had shown attraction to her, years before, but that was past, especially because he was her captain. T'Pol had been informed, in a roundabout way, that Jonathan had given up a relationship with another of his subordinates, Erika Hernandez, because he was her boss. And when he meet Erika again about a year ago, their relationship didn't seem to have a future since both, in practice, were married to their respective ships. «The Vulcans should be slaves.» He said. «Slaves and nothing else.»

T'Pol shook her head slightly. «Maybe you should go back to your quarters.»

«There's only Hoshi there. This evening I want more.» He took a hypospray from his pocket and quickly pressed it against the Vulcan's neck.

T'Pol stepped back, putting a hand on her throat. «What...?»

«Nothing harmful.» He replied, putting an arm around her. «It's just a muscle relaxant. I prepared it while Phlox was in engineering with you.»

T'Pol raised her arm, trying to apply a Vulcan nerve pinch, but her hand fell before reaching Archer's shoulder. «I wanted to avoid this. But don't worry, commander, you'll remain conscious. You're going to enjoy this.»

T'Pol felt her muscles grow limp as she sagged against Archer. «You should let your hair grow.» He said, while lowering her to the ground. «You'd look better.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who is betareading this work in English, to Seti and Franz that betaread it in Italian.


	11. Chapter 11

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§11

Malcolm Reed replaced the access panel. The blue sphere was still there. He pushed the communication button. «Reed to commander T'Pol.»

He needed to ask her if she thought they could go to warp. He didn't think there would be any problems, but without Trip around he preferred to have confirmation from the science officer.

He started to collect his tools together, then he pressed the communication button again. «Reed to commander T'Pol.» he repeated. He finished picking everything up and went to a terminal. «Reed to the bridge. Where can I find commander T'Pol?»

«She's in her quarters.»

Reed pressed the intercom again. «Commander T'Pol? Can you hear me?» This was strange. Usually T'Pol responded immediately to calls. He hurried out of the engine room, only pausing to pick up a phase pistol. He pressed the doorbell at T'Pol's door. When he heard no response, he opened the door and leaned his head in. «Commander? May I come in?» There was no reply. He walked in warily, phase pistol at the ready.

T'Pol was lying on the floor, on her side, motionless.

«I... I'm sorry.» Reed stammered, lowering his weapon. «I just wanted to ask... sorry, it's nothing, I can do it myself.» Embarrassed, he turned to leave, but a slight movement of the Vulcan's fingers caught his attention. Malcolm crouched down next to her. «T'Pol, are you OK?» He followed her gaze to her right hand. He took her hand gently, her fingers on his palm.

«Is it still that burn? Is it giving you problems?» Reed was starting to panic. He didn't know what to do. Then he felt the faint beating of the woman's fingers on his palm: three quick taps, three slow taps, three quick taps. S.O.S. Morse code.

Malcolm jumped up and ran to press the intercom button. «Reed to Phlox. Medical emergency in T'Pol's quarters. Come quickly, please!» He waited a few moments. «Reed to Phlox!» he cried out, but again no one answered. «Where has everyone gone on this ship?» He went back to T'Pol. «I'll take you in sickbay immediately.»

He hoped he didn't make things worse by moving her; he remembered from his first aid training that it was better to wait for qualified personnel before moving an injured person. He lifted her into his arms, she felt completely lifeless and heavy. «If it's still that germ that's attacking you, Phlox will know for sure what to do!» Or so he hoped. «Phlox!» he called, rushing through the doors into sickbay, but he froze when he saw the doctor prone on the ground. «What happened? It's epidemic!» Laying T'Pol on the nearest biobed, he knelt down by the doctor, shaking him by the shoulder. «Phlox?»

The Denobulan slowly opened his eyes and looked at Reed. «The captain...» he said.

«The Captain?»

«Yes... I don't know what's wrong with him...» Reed helped him to his feet. «He forced me to wake up commander Tucker, and when I said it was unthinkable to take him down to engineering, he hit me.» He put a hand on his forehead, then looked at the empty booth. «They're gone.»

«Phlox, T'Pol is not well.»

The doctor turned, only now noticing the Vulcan.

«Maybe it's those strange germs... I have to leave you, I'm going to look for the Captain and Trip.» Reed said, hurrying out.

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	12. Chapter 12

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§12

Malcolm charged through the engine room doors, but he was stopped in his tracks by a dazzling light. «Captain!» he cried.

He heard the sound of phaser coming in his direction and ducked instinctively, dodging the beam almost by accident. Shading his eyes against the bright light he could see three human figures standing under a big blue sphere, identical to the one he had seen with T'Pol, but much larger and now out in the open.

«No!» he yelled. «It's dangerous!» he said. But none of them seemed to want to listen to him, and another volley of phaser shots came in his direction.

«Get back, Reed!» It was the Captain's voice, difficult to make out over the loud noise of the overloaded warp drive.

«Captain, that sphere is dangerous! It emits delta rays, and germs from... another place! Stay away!»

«Shut up, Malcolm!» Trip shouted, turning toward him.

Reed could clearly see the huge scar on the right side of Trip's face. Phlox wasn't a genius at healing scars, but that one was just ugly.

Tucker raised his gun phaser and, aiming better then Archer, struck Reed.

When Malcolm opened his eyes, the noise and bright light had disappeared. He felt his chest burning, where he had just been shot. He hauled himself to his feet and staggered over to his friend, lying on the ground, his right cheek resting on the floor. There was no trace of Archer and Hoshi.

«Trip?» he called. He put a hand on his shoulder. «Commander Tucker? Wake up!»

Trip raised his head. «Airspace, French fries and coke, thanks.» he said, before collapsing on the ground.

Malcolm stared at him for a few seconds, then began to shake him. This was definitely not his day. He wished he could turn his back on all this, find somewhere to hide, and wait until the nightmare was over. But there was nowhere to go, there wasn't even a habitable planet within a light year, he would just have to deal with it. «Trip, wake up!» He turned Trip on his back and was very surprised when he noticed the scar on his face was gone. In its place was a flush similar to the one he'd seen on the back of T'Pol's hand. If the germs were the same, he would need to go to sick bay as soon as possible. «Trip! Come on!»

The engineer finally opened his eyes and slowly focussed on Reed. «Malcolm?» he asked.

«Yes, I have to get you...» His sentence was interrupted by a punch in the face from Trip.

Malcolm reeled back.

Tucker sat up and stared at the lieutenant. «Oh damn.» he said.

«What the hell have I done to deserve this?» Reed put his hand to his face.

«You're not a M.A.C.O.?» Trip said.

«Of course not.» he said.

«You hate the M.A.C.O.s!»

Reed shook his head slightly. «This is not news, commander.»

«Yeah...» He looked around. «And so this is the right universe.» He looked up to his colleague. «Sorry, Malcolm. I had you confused with somebody else.»

«You need to get to sickbay immediately.» Reed told him, pulling Trip to his feet.

Tucker followed him out of the engine room. «I ended up in another universe.» he said. «Together with Hoshi and the captain, we have tried several times to return here, but... where are the others?»

«We will investigate in a while, now we need Phlox to have a look at you. T'Pol touched the blue sphere, and she was burned. Phlox found strange germs on her and I've just found her paralyzed in her room, she couldn't even speak.»

Trip felt his heart tighten. «How is she now?»

«I don't know, I left sickbay to come here.»

As the sickbay doors opened, the Denobulan doctor looked at the commander in surprise. «Your scar is healing.» he said.

«It is not the commander Tucker we had here recently.» Reed said. «I can't explain it, but I think there was an exchange of people from another... universe.»

Trip, before he even sat on the biobed, asked: «How's T'Pol?» He still had in mind T'Pol's disgusted expression and her long hair in the other universe. And that feeling of unease that leaked from every move of her, until she had asked: «What happened to you, Trip? You do not look like yourself.» And then she had kissed him.

«I gave her a sedative, she'll sleep for a while.»

«Did those germs cause the paralysis?»

Phlox shook his head as he passed the tricorder over Trip. «No, she was injected with a very strong muscle relaxant. I think it was Captain Archer, I have already warned security.» He smiled the engineer. «But you have no weird germs on you. For that burn I'll give you a special cream, that will heal up without a trace.»

«But will T'Pol be okay?»

«I gave her a sedative because having the body completely paralyzed while being mentally alert is a situation that becomes stressful even to a Vulcan. The sedative should wear off soon after the muscle relaxant.»

Trip nodded. «If those were our counterparts... I can understand how Archer was able to attack T'Pol.»

«What do you mean?» asked Reed.

«You could almost say that it was a... mirror universe. There was such coldness and cruelty that I haven't seen even in Xindi.» He lifted his sleeve, showing his arm. There were at least a dozen red circular wounds.

«What happened to you?»

«The M.A.C.O. Reed of that universe stuck some nails in me.» He gave a smile to Malcolm, who shuddered: «I understand your punch.»

Phlox looked at the wounds. «They don't appear to be infected.»

«No, the mirror-Phlox disinfected them with something that burns more than plasma. He seemed to enjoy it.» He sighed. «On the ship there were Soval and T'Pol. Vulcan slaves.»

«Slaves?»

Trip nodded. «The Captain wasn't Archer, but it was Forrest.»

Reed shook his head slightly. «We must find our Hoshi and Archer.»

Tucker got out of bed. «Yes. Just gimme a minute.» Slowly he drew back the curtain and entered the booth where T'Pol was. The Vulcan was sleeping deeply. He took her hand. «See you tomorrow, T'Pol.» He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. «Thank you for helping me get back here ...»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	13. Chapter 13

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§13

T'Pol woke up fighting for breath. She sat up quickly on the bed, clutching at her throat. She remembered Phlox talking to her, telling her he would give her something to speed up the process of metabolizing the muscle relaxant, which would make her sleep. She wanted to scream to leave her alone, not to touch her, but she couldn't. She had been powerless to stop him putting her to sleep.

Sitting on the bed she began to work through her muscle groups, flexing each muscle in turn to make sure making sure they were all working. When she was satisfied she had regained enough control to walk, she stood up. The floor of the sickbay was cold under her bare feet, but she didn't care. She had to escape.

She opened the curtain and found herself facing Phlox who, hearing the noises, had come to check on his patient.

T'Pol gave an involuntary scream and jumped back. «Commander!» Phlox said, smiling. «Not so fast.»

«I wish to leave.» she said. She felt her muscles tremble. She didn't feel like herself.

«And where will you go? We're in the middle of nowhere.» Phlox took her by the elbow and helped her back onto the bed. «You're safe here. Can you move all your muscles?»

She nodded.

«You must rest again.»

«Archer... where's Captain Archer?»

«He vanished last night.» Phlox said. «Lieutenant Commander Tucker and Reed are looking for him and Ensign Sato.»

T'Pol pulled the blanket up around her shoulders. She felt cold. «Commander Tucker?» she asked.

«He's fine. He came back first. Apparently there was an exchange between two universes... ours and, as he called it, a mirror one.»

«Archer also came from there?»

«Presumably, yes.» Phlox smiled sympathetically. «If you need to talk about what happened last night ...»

«No.» T'Pol said hastily. «That isn't necessary. We must try to bring back our captain Archer and our Hoshi Sato soon.» She started to rise again, but Phlox put his hand on her shoulder, pushing her back onto the bed. «No, you mustn't get up yet. You need to rest. Doctor's orders.»

The Vulcan sighed and curled up, snuggling under the covers. «Dr. Phlox?»

«Yes?»

«I feel my muscles tremble.» she said, almost whispering. «Is it an effect of muscle relaxant... or of the drug you gave me?»

Phlox took up the tricorder. After a few seconds he said: «Neither one nor the other.» He replied. «It's a slight psychosomatic tremor.»

«That is not possible.» she stated. «This would mean that I am influenced by my psyche, while...»

«T'Pol.» the Denobulan stopped her. «There is no logic in this. You need to rest and, if you wish, to talk about it. You will see that the tremor will vanish.»

She closed her eyes and listened to the pace of the doctor leaving. She pulled the blankets up to her chin.

She tried to sleep for some time, but the images of the night before were in front of her eyes like a spotlight in the dark.

When she heard the tent being moved, she looked up, ready to defend herself. But she saw only the face of Trip Tucker, who had stuck his head between the curtains to watch her. He smiled. «How are you?»

T'Pol closed her eyes slightly. «I'm fine.» she lied.

«May I come in?»

She nodded. «Your scar... is gone.»

Trip sat on the bed beside her. «It was not on me, but on my "mirror" self.»

«Good.» she said. «Have you found Hoshi and Archer?»

«No. But we'll get them back.» He looked on the nightstand to the left of the bed and smiled.

T'Pol turned around and noticed for the first time Athos sitting there, motionless as a soldier in the British Royal Guard. «I didn't hear him arrive.» she said. «How long has he been there?»

«I dunno, but it looks as if he's on guard, to ward off the bad guys.»

T'Pol sighed. «I should have known, when Phlox told me that he had been aggressive towards Archer.»

«Cats have a sixth sense. And maybe even a seventh and an eighth sense.» Trip laughed. «In the mirror universe Archer has a Rotweiller named Porthos. A huge dog, ugly and cruel. Totally the opposite of this beautiful cat.»

The Vulcan took off her left arm from under the blankets and stretched out her hand slowly toward Trip's face, gently placing the palm on his right cheek. «Does it hurt?»

«No. Phlox says that it will soon be better.» Tucker put his hand on hers. «You're trembling.»

«Phlox said that it will soon be better.» she said, echoing his words.

Trip squeezed her hand gently. «What are your orders?»

«We have the same rank now. You're in command until Archer returns.»

He nodded. «We don't know where to look, but we will continue the search.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	14. Chapter 14

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§14

«News?» Trip sat down at the dining table with Reed.

«Not for now.» he said, lowering his PADD. «How's T'Pol?»

«Why are you asking me?»

Reed shrugged.

«She's better.» Trip said, raising his eyes to heaven. «Athos is standing guard. Can you imagine Archer with a dog instead of her cat?»

Malcolm laughed slightly. «Nah, impossible. He said once that he always lived with cats and could never imagine being without one.»

«Yeah, in fact he convinced Starfleet Command to let him bring Athos aboard.» He laughed. «And thank goodness, given how often Phlox's pets escape.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	15. Chapter 15

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§15

T'Pol checked the phase pistol at her side for the umpteenth time. She had convinced Phlox that she was fine and persuaded him to release her from sickbay that evening. She was wearing a light blue uniform, which was slightly less garish than the red and fuchsia ones, and had gone down into the most remote cargo bay of the ship.

She had thought about asking for a blue uniform, like everyone else's. It would make it easier to pass unnoticed. In fact, she thought, she would need four uniforms of that type. She was used to changing it often.

She went down the stairs slowly, careful not to stumble. She felt her muscles tremble again and pain radiated from every nerve.

She went confidently to one of the grey boxes and opened it. Removing the inner cover she pulled out a transparent cylinder. She unscrewed the cap and slid the rock slowly toward the opening, until the fragments fell on her palm.

Trellium-D.

The captain had stowed it here more than two years ago and, despite the many returns to Earth, the stocks were still here. It was a rare element in this universe - when the Expanse collapsed in on itself, most of trellium-D had undergone a transformation process that neutralized it, turning it into nothing more than debris of useless rock.

T'Pol slipped the fragments into her pocket, closed the case and climbed swiftly up the ladder. Halfway up she slipped, landing heavily on the floor. She bit off a cry of pain. She couldn't afford to attract attention. Not now. What would they think if they had found her rummaging in the forgotten bilge, next to an item that had brought her almost to insanity and death?

She straightened up and ran to the laboratory, fragmented the trellium-D into base molecules and injected it directly into her jugular. Now she felt better. She felt her muscles relax and the trembling gradually faded away.

She rubbed her throat.

She sighed.

What would Trip have thought?

She started to return to C deck where her quarters were, but at the last moment changed her mind and returned to E desk and sickbay, hoping that she would be able to avoid Phlox. «T'Pol» said the smiling doctor. «Is something wrong?»

«No... I... I just wanted to ask if I have to look after Athos, while the captain is not here.»

Phlox looked at her smiling. «You "have" or you "want" to?»

T'Pol didn't answer, staring at him with that Vulcan phlegm that promised to return to the surface soon. «I'm sure Athos will be pleased.» Phlox picked up the cat and handed him to the Vulcan, who took him in her arms as she had already learned to do. Athos rubbed his forehead against her chin and T'Pol could feel his soft purring. «Good night, Doctor.» she said, turning on her heel quickly.

She went to her quarters and allowed Athos to take his place on her meditation cushion.

She felt more calm with the cat around. Athos would warn her if anyone treacherous approached. He would know before her and before every other person on the ship if anything was wrong. She laid on the bed and tried to sleep.

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	16. Chapter 16

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§16

Trip sighed when the blue sphere, about five centimeters in diameter, disappeared. «We've been trying for days to open that gate and still nothing. I thought there must be some sort of balance between the two universes. I come here and bad Tucker back there. But Archer and Hoshi... nothing.»

Reed looked at the data on the PADD: «This means that the universes may hold a certain amount of asymmetric movements without collapsing.»

«So in that universe there are two Archers, two Hoshis... or ours are suspended somewhere?»

He shook his head. «You're the expert.»

Trip laughed bitterly. «I really believe that the most experienced person is T'Pol. But I haven't seen her since the day before yesterday. Phlox told me that she needs a lot of rest and I don't want to bother her... besides the fact that I'm not sure that her skepticism would allow her to enter into that area where we need to go to understand something here.»

Malcolm nodded. «But she did it in the past, it is conceivable that she could repeat the experiment.»

Tucker sighed. «I will go to her tomorrow to ask for help. Now I believe a good sleep won't hurt either. Who knows, perhaps we will dream the solution.»

Reaching his quarters, Trip was surprised to see the Vulcan leaning against the wall next to his door. «Hello.» He said. «What are you doing there?»

«I am having trouble sleeping.» She said, her voice low and flat.

«Well, you could have waited inside.» Trip opened the door. «I wanted to talk to you anyway. We don't seem to be getting anywhere with our experiments to recover Archer and Hoshi.» he motioned her to sit down.

«How can I help you?»

«You know more about interuniversal doors than me and Reed.»

She shook her head slightly. «I don't know anything useful about it.»

«That makes three of us.» He sat down behind her, placing his fingers on the sides of her neck, as she had taught him, pushing slowly but firmly. «If you're feeling better tomorrow, perhaps you could help us.»

«All right.» She whispered.

«How long have you been having trouble sleeping?»

T'Pol closed her eyes. «Since Phlox gave me the sedative.»

Trip froze. «But that was three days ago! Why didn't you come to me earlier?»

She didn't answer, she was staring at the wall in front of her.

«Well, you're here now. If I have to massage you further down, you should take off your robe and pajama top...» It seemed absurd that he had to say those things to T'Pol. It was she who had taught him neuropressure. He reached for the collar of her pajamas. «T'Pol?»

She jumped up and clutched her robe tight around her. «It's not working. I am sorry to have bothered you, Commander Tucker, I will leave you in peace.»

-"Commander Tucker"?—he asked himself. «Hey, hey! Wait. You aren't bothering me at all.» He took her hand. «Stay here.»

T'Pol turned away. She didn't want to face him.

«What's wrong?» He whispered. «You're acting so strange. We haven't even begun.» He gently held her shoulders. «T'Pol.»

«I don't think... I don't think the neuropressure is working.»

«Well, then I have in mind a Terran method.» He pulled her gently to the bed. «Come here. You have nothing to lose.»

Trip laid down on the bed by the wall, and patted his shoulder. «Lean on me.»

She hesitated a moment, then took off her robe and laid down as he had indicated. «And then?»

«And then nothing.» Trip said. He pulled the blanket up over her shoulders and turned off the light. «Close your eyes and imagine being in a nice place.»

T'Pol did as he had said. «That white beach in Florida you told me about...» she whispered. «May I imagine being there?»

«Sure.»

After a few minutes T'Pol said: «I do not think this method works on Vulcans.»

«Shhhhh...» he said softly.

T'Pol still imagined that house on stilts, the big bed in the bedroom, with blankets in pastel colours and black lettering in old Vulcan script, Trip lying next to her as now and no mirror universe to ruin her life.

She opened his eyes. «No,» she said. «It isn't working. I think it's better that I return to my quarters.» She waited for an answer that never came. «Trip?» she called in the dark. Was he already asleep so deeply? «Trip?» Then she reached for the light and turned it on. She was no longer leaning on Trip's shoulder, but on a pillow. She shook her head slightly, then noticed a note pinned to the wall: «You slept so well that waking you up would be a court martial offense. If you want to join us in the engine room, Malcolm and I are still trying to reopen the vortex. Trip»

She glanced at the terminal to read the time. She had been asleep a long time. In fact she felt better.

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	17. Chapter 17

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§17

«Try to turn forty-seven degrees.» Trip said.

Malcolm pointed the ray. «Like this?»

«Nothing yet.» said Trip. «There's something we're missing.»

«Haven't we recreated all the conditions?» Malcolm put his hands on his hips. «Maybe it's missing the opening of that door in the parallel universe.» He said.

«You lack the delta-ray emission.» T'Pol's voice came unexpectedly from behind them.

Trip smiled.

«Commander.» Reed greeted her. «Are you here to give us a hand?»

«I have reviewed your data. I believe that you are lacking a concentrated delta-ray emission, used to create a cut in the space-time continuum. It must be concentrated and focused to perfection or we likely risk the same injury that we saw on Mirror Universe Commander Tucker.»

«We have no way to build a delta ray emitter.» Trip said.

«No, but at warp 4 we can reach the planet Abinas in two days, where we can get what we need.» T'Pol had already calculated everything.

«Wait, commander.» Reed said. «Given that we are not equipped to do so now, how did we get that sphere, the other day?»

«Presumably it was opened from the other universe.»

«That's right.» Trip said. «It 's like a hole in a wall. If you open it from one side you reach the other one, even if there is nobody to open it from the other side.»

T'Pol nodded. «Complete the engine repairs, then we'll order to Mayweather to lay on the course for Abinas.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	18. Chapter 18

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§18

«Come in.» Trip said, as he turned a page of "Nightfall" by Asimov and Silverberg. He was not usually a fan of reading but this book was really exciting. On a planet surrounded by a system of six stars, where there is never night, an eclipse was expected. The terrifying darkness advanced on the inhabitants. He looked up. «T'Pol, hello.» He smiled.

«Am I disturbing you?»

He shook his head, and put the book on the shelf above the bed.

«I wondered if...»

Trip could notice a slight embarrassment in her voice.

«...If... I can...»

«Would you like to sleep like last night?»

She nodded.

«Sure, come here.» He lifted the covers. «Luckily for you the bed is already warm.»

T'Pol slipped in at his side.

«You still can't sleep?»

«Yes... I searched the Vulcan database to find this method, but I didn't find it. I was hoping there was a way to implement it without having to disturb you.»

«You can't do it alone.» Trip said. «And I'm not surprised you couldn't find it in the Vulcan database. It's a method that is generally used... with children.»

T'Pol looked up at him. «With children?»

Trip smiled slightly. «Yes, or with lovers.»

She looked down and closed her eyes. «You never talked about it.»

«Well, neuropressure worked. And it was very pleasant.» Trip kissed her hair.

«And this is part of the process?» she whispered.

«No.» He put his hand on her shoulder. «Your help today was invaluable.»

«Trip...» She hesitated. «Are you certain that you'll bring back our own Archer?»

He didn't answer immediately. «I think we should try. But given how he is in the mirror universe, we will use an armed escort.»

T'Pol leaned her forehead against his neck. «If it is not absolutely necessary, I would rather not to be present.»

Tucker nodded. «What did Archer do to you?» he asked, his voice low and soft.

She didn't answer. She closed her eyes. Shortly after she whispered: «I didn't find... even in the Vulcan database... I didn't find if human males always cause pain, when they mate.»

Trip cuddled the Vulcan, holding her. «No,» he said. «No, that almost never happens.»

Almost.

T'Pol turned, leaning on his chest. «Prove it to me.»

-"Prove it"? Scientist to the end.—Trip thought.

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	19. Chapter 19

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§19

Trip propped himself up on one elbow and looked down at T'Pol, curled up in front of him. She was sleeping peacefully with her back pressed against him. Within minutes they had to get up and go back to work.

He leaned forward and kissed her on the temple. He had discovered that T'Pol liked having her ears caressed. And of course he had not held back.

T'Pol opened her eyes and rolled towards him.

«Good morning.» Trip said.

T'Pol snuggled against his chest.

«Are you okay?»

«Yes... I am now» T'Pol slipped an arm around him. «And you?»

«Never been better.»

«It will not end here?»

Trip ran his fingers through her hair. «What?»

«The story between us.»

«No, of course not.» Trip took her face in his hands and kissed her. «Even if it is illogical.»

She nodded.

«You don't think like your mother any more, right?»

T'Pol sat on the bed. «No. I never thought like her. I was just following the most obvious way for a Vulcan.»

She picked up her underwear, but didn't put it on. She turned. «If I go back to my quarters now, someone will surely see me.»

«Since when did you care what other people thought?» He asked. «Anyway... I don't suppose anyone will think that this was our first time.» Trip could distinguish a slight olive tint on T'Pol's cheeks, what for humans would be blushing. «You're the acting captain, can't you assign us bigger quarters?» He gave her a kiss on the cheek. «Come on, we have a ship to run.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	20. Chapter 20

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§20

Archer raised one hand in surrender. «Where are we?» he asked, with his other hand holding Hoshi's.

«Captain?» asked Trip. Behind him, four guards trained phasers on them. The engineer approached slowly. «Captain Archer of our universe?»

Archer let out a long sigh of relief. «Trip, thank goodness.» He smiled.

«Welcome back, Captain.» Reed said, waving the guards to lower their weapons. They could tell that this was their Archer and Hoshi. It was good to meet them again. «Hoshi needs some help.» Archer said. He put his hand behind her back and led her gently to Reed. «Come on.» he told her and, taking her hand, led her out of there.

«You need to see Phlox too.» Trip said. «What's happened since we parted?»

Archer followed his chief engineer to sickbay. «Hoshi was thrown back through the portal. I don't know why. It was as if it was closed. Since we weren't really loved by the crew, they did everything they could to get us back here. I saw your counterpart and... I didn't like him.»

Trip laughed. «From what I heard, your counterpart wasn't much liked here either.»

«I don't doubt it.» said the captain.

«You were there at the same time as your counterparts?»

«No. Why?»

«Well, because they vanished from here a week ago.»

«I guess it was sort of... "temporal phase displacement". Although I must admit I'm not good at these theories. Too abstract.» They went into the sickbay.

«Welcome back!» said Phlox. «How are you, Hoshi?»

The girl nodded. «Now that we're back here I feel a lot better, thank you.»

«Now it's your turn, captain, come here.» Phlox said, pointing to the bed.

«I'm fine.»

The door opened and T'Pol came in. Archer had known her for more than four years and noticed that she seemed hesitant. «Commander.» he smiled.

«Captain.» she said. «How are you?»

«It's good to be home.» he said.

«It was T'Pol who had the idea of using delta-rays to recreate the portal.» Trip said. «Surely she understands it better than us.»

Archer smiled at her. He didn't expect a smile in return, but he hadn't expected that T'Pol would make a step backwards, as if to leave.

Trip noticed it and went to her side. «According to the captain there was a time phase displacement. Do you think one can go from an universe at a certain time and arrive in another universe at another time?»

The Vulcan shrugged her shoulders slightly. «Hypothetically, yes it's possible.»

Archer looked to Trip.

Tucker smiled. «Well, maybe we'll rewrite the cosmology books.» He turned to T'Pol. «Can you give me a hand to get rid of that delta ray emitter?»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	21. Chapter 21

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§21

T'Pol rushed over to the sink, just in time to avoid vomiting on the floor. The ship spun around her again. She clung to the sink and pulled up with all her strength. She hadn't suffered from space sickness for at least thirty years.

She rinsed her face with cold water, then returned to the bunk and sat down, pulling a blanket over her shoulders.

For a month and a half life on the Enterprise had returned to normal with their brave captain Archer, with their sweet communications officer Sato.

The only thing that had changed was the neuropressure sessions between her and Trip, that generally, by now, were not only neuropressure.

Except the last week.

They had the opportunity to upgrade the engines, so they could reach warp 5.5 for a few minutes, and had been so busy at work that they had not had time to meet.

She lay down when the ship began to spin around her again. She breathed slowly and deeply until the feeling vanished.

Phlox had warned them about microbes, when they were landed on the planet where they had recovered the technology and equipment for the upgrade. She hadn't touched food or water but, as usual, Trip had been unable to resist tasting a kind of alien fruit salad with fluorescent colours. T'Pol thought that probably he had got an intestinal virus that had no effect on human physiology and he had passed it to her. She closed her eyes. The microbes probably transferred to her through that kiss that he had given in the engine room, in front of the engine, just after coming back on board. T'Pol put her fingers to her lips. Trip knew how to kiss very well.

T'Pol opened her eyes suddenly, when the ship shook. This time, the vibration of the Enterprise was real and not just an impression given by her upset stomach. She pressed the intercom. «T'Pol to Commander Tucker.»

«Trip here.» he said.

«Is there a problem?»

«No, it's all okay. We're dropping down to warp 4, the engine can't hold warp 5.5 for long. But it's alright.»

«If you need a hand, call me. T'Pol out.»

The shuddering faded slightly and T'Pol closed her eyes, trying to push the nausea away, but it slowly grew. She sighed when she realized that she would have to see Phlox.

«Commander T'Pol,» he said.

The Vulcan asked herself how he managed to keep that happy and jovial mood.

«What can I do for you?»

«I think I got a virus when we went to retrieve the equipment for the warp 6 upgrades.»

Phlox picked up a tricorder. «What are your symptoms?»

«Nausea, dizziness.»

«It could be a digestive problem, because I don't think you suffer from space sickness.» The doctor ran the tricorder over T 'Pol again. «No, your gastrointestinal system is fine. I find no trace of any viruses that cou...» His voice faded into nothingness.

«Dr. Phlox?» she asked, her Vulcan voice calm.

«Uhm...» he said. He was silent for a moment. «T'Pol... I think I understand the problem...»

«Meaning?»

Phlox sighed and turned off the tricorder. «Well, commander... you're pregnant.»

T'Pol was silent for a moment. «I have not had the pon farr.» she said, her voice flat.

The doctor shrugged. «Yes, but... I clearly see an embryo.» He hesitated. «It is two months old.»

She gasped, momentarily losing her Vulcan poise, but then went quiet. «Can you tell me exactly how many days old it is?»

Phlox looked at her, raising an eyebrow. «Commander?»

«The exact day of conception.»

Phlox rose again the tricorder. «It's hard to say, you did not have the pon farr and the embryo... it seems half human.»

«It *is* half human.» she explained. «Phlox, do I need genetic testing to tell me who the father is?» she replied quickly. «I have been in a relationship since then... with another human being.»

Phlox let out a half-smile. «I can do a genetic test, but it will take time.»

«Do what you must.» she said. «It's important.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	22. Chapter 22

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§22

Trip returned to his quarters at the end of a double shift, rubbing his sore neck. What he wouldn't give for a neuropressure session ...

He was surprised to see T'Pol lying on his bed. «T'Pol! What are you doing here?»

She opened her eyes. «Sorry.» She sat up. «I had no desire to stay in my quarters, but now I will tidy your bed and leave.»

«No, no... stay, if you like.»

«Are you sure it's no bother?»

Trip shook his head. «Why should it be?»

T'Pol lay back again, pulling the covers over her shoulders. «You must be tired.»

«I sleep better when you're around.» He sat down beside her. «I don't think you're well.» He put his hand on her shoulder. «T'Pol?»

«I thought I had the flu.» she said.

«Now how are you?» Trip lay down beside her and took her in his arms. «T'Pol?»

She leaned her forehead against his shoulder. «I'm pregnant.»

Trip was motionless for a moment, then took her face in his hands, smiling. «But that's a great news! I thought the two of us couldn't... well...» He kissed her. «We need to formalize it. We...»

«Trip!» she cried suddenly, interrupting him.

He was silent.

«I do not know if it's yours.»

He was silent for a moment, then slipped his fingers through her hair and held her.

«I'm two months pregnant. It could be the other Archer's.»

«Never mind. We'll raise it as if it were mine.» He gave her a kiss on the forehead.

«It is illogical.»

«We Humans are notorious for our lack of logic.»

The intercom rang. «Phlox to commander T'Pol. Can you come to the sickbay?»

«Can I come with you?» asked Trip.

T'Pol nodded. They went in together, walking calmly, Trip just behind her.

«Commander Tucker, what can I do for you?»

«Um, well, I'm here...»

«He's here to accompany me.» T'Pol said curtly. «Dr. Phlox, you can speak freely in front of the commander.»

«Well, naturally, since he is the father.»

Trip picked T'Pol up and spun round with her in his arms. «I knew it!»

She gasped, clinging to his shoulders.

Tucker held her. «In the face of all those who said that was not feasible.»

T'Pol pushed Trip away gently. She did not like those demonstrations of affection in front of other people. Probably she would have to get used to it, as Trip was Human.

«And how are they?» said Trip.

«Both T'Pol and the baby girl are very healthy, actually.»

He smiled. «Baby girl? It's a girl?»

Phlox nodded. «Yes, exactly.»

Tucker put his arm around T'Pol's shoulders. «I would love to have a little girl.»

«There's only one thing.» continued Phlox. «You absolutely must stop taking trellium-D. We don't know what effects it might have on the embryo.»

Trip turned in astonishment to the Vulcan, who averted her eyes immediately. Yes, he didn't know about that. She nodded. «I am a bit tired now, I would like to retire to my quarters.»

They left sickbay together. «Hey!» said Trip all of sudden, when T'Pol headed off towards her quarters without so much as looking at him. He took her by the arm. «Stop.»

«I'm tired.» she said. «I would like to lie down for a while.»

«Lie down if you want, but I think we need to talk.» He followed her to her quarters.

She turned and stared at him. «About what?»

«As if you need to ask! I thought trellium-D was harmful to Vulcans.»

T'Pol hesitated, then sat on the bed. «I only took it a couple of times... in the last two months.» she said.

«I know that trillium-D affects the synaptic pathways used to control emotions. Why would you take it?»

«It gives a feeling of freedom. That freedom that you talked about at the start of the mission. I feel better with the Humans, since...» She took a short break. «Look, now that I know I'm pregnant I will not jeopardize our daughter just to feel emotions. Also... the damage it has done to me... it's permanent. Those connections are gone. I can feel my emotions better, but I cannot always repress them...»

«Sounds vaguely human.» he said. He smiled. «Perhaps you've been among humans too long. I wonder whether it's time for you to return to Vulcan.»

«Why?»

«Well, I think to face a pregnancy far away from home wouldn't be...»

«You want to get rid of me?»

Trip's eyes widened. «What the hell are you saying? It's obvious that I would come with you.»

She shook her head. «No, no. I... I am afraid, Trip.» She sighed. «It is not one of the emotions I was looking for... and it is not as exciting as you told me years ago.»

«Well, I wasn't thinking of this kind of fear...»

T'Pol stood up. «I wonder what future could there be for a person who is neither Human nor Vulcan.»

«Don't think about it like that.» Trip said. «She is both Human and Vulcan.»

«But what life can we give her?»

She had a point. Trip thought at that moment he must have felt like the first white man who married a black woman... or vice versa. But it had become accepted, it wasn't a problem now.

«I want to be on the Enterprise as long as possible.» T'Pol said. «Here she will find a secure and open environment where she can at least have a decent childhood, where no one teases her because...» She shrugged. «...she has pointed ears rather than rounded.»

Trip smiled. «Okay. But... what will they be like?»

T'Pol sat down beside him again. «What?»

«Her ears.»

She raised her eyes slightly. «What is this Human fixation with our ears?»

Trip leaned forward and touched her ear with his fingertips. «It seems to me that you really like this, too.»

She whirled toward him, put her hand behind his head and kissed him.

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	23. Chapter 23

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§23

«^Ma l'amore, no... l'amore mio non può disperdersi nel vento, con le rose...^» [No love, no, my love can't be dispersed in the wind, with the roses...]

Lieutenant Reed peered around the corner of the engine at the sound of singing.

«^Tanto è forte che non cederà, non sfiorirà...^» [It's so strong that it won't give up, won't wither...]

Malcolm looked amazed at the man standing in front of the engine controls.

«^Io lo veglierò, io lo difenderò da tutte quelle insidie velenose...^» [I will guard it, I will defend it from all those poisonous pitfalls...]

Was it really Trip?

«^...Che vorrebbero strapparlo al cuor, povero amor!^» [...who would tear it from the heart, poor love!]

Malcolm coughed slightly to announce himself.

Trip turned, continuing to hum. «^Ma l'amore no, l'amore mio non può dissolversi con l'oro dei capelli...^» [No love, no, my love can not dissolve with the gold of the hair...] «Hello Malcolm.» he said.

«I brought you the data you asked for.»

He took the PADD and read the data, while continuing to hum. «^Finch'io vivo sarà vivo in me, solo per te...^» [Until I live it will live in me, just for you...]

«You're in a very good mood today.» Reed noted.

Trip smiled. «Definitely.»

Malcolm smiled. «You're in love.» he ascertained.

The engineer laughed. Of course he was. He loved the tiny baby inside the T'Pol's belly. And he was so in love now, he wondered how crazy he would be for her when she was born. He returned the PADD. «How come you brought it yourself?»

«I was going past.» he said. «I'm going to the gym, see you there after your shift? We could have a basketball game, one on one.»

Trip shook his head. «No, I'll have to pass tonight.»

«Something else planned?» Reed spoke nonchalantly.

Tucker smiled. «And if I have?»

«You ought to ask Archer for bigger quarters.» Malcolm said, walking away.

«Not a bad idea.» he said to himself, while going back to working on the engine and humming. At the end of the shift he went directly to T'Pol's quarters. «People are starting to talk.»

«About what?» she asked, as she slipped off her robe and sat in front of him.

Trip put his fingers on the sides of her neck: they had found that the neuropressure also alleviated her nausea. «The two of us.»

«Let them talk.»

«What do you mean?»

«"Small town gossip spreads like wildfire". And Enterprise is a very small town.»

He leaned forward, resting his chest against the Vulcan's back and placing a kiss on her neck.

«It will start to show within a month. Even if I'm wearing these uniforms.»

Archer had been amazed at T'Pol's request to wear normal blue Starfleet uniforms.

«I think we should at least tell the captain.» murmured Trip. «To get bigger quarters, if nothing else.»

«What's wrong with our quarters?»

«That they're too far apart?»

«If we move into joint quarters, there won't just be "gossip".»

«Exactly.» laughed Trip . «So it will be clear to everyone and that will put an end to the gossip.»

She turned. «You're right, I think it is better to tell the captain first.» She stared at him.

«You want me to tell him?»

She nodded and turned back. «But now, please, continue with the neuropressure. Without it the nausea is worse.» And besides, she thought, she liked the feel of his hands on her.

(You can listen to the song sang by Trip at the beginning of this chapter by searching for "Ma l'amore no" by Gigliola Cinquetti on Youtube.)

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	24. Chapter 24

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§24

«Come in.» Archer was reading about the next planet where they would land. «Hello Trip.» he said. «Did you know that on Bethel IV there is an entire amusement park for climbers? Will you take a ride with me and Travis?»

Tucker shook his head. «No, I think I will visit the city. The bazaar, in particular.»

Archer turned and looked at him strangely. «Since when do you care more about shopping than sport?» he asked.

He laughed. «There's something I need to talk to you about. You know the cargo bay on B deck?»

«That's not a cargo bay, it's a box room. It's low and narrow. It's a design error, although it is difficult to admit it.»

«It's bigger than normal crew's quarters.» corrected Tucker. «I was wondering if you could free it and let me have my quarters in it.»

Archer stared at him. «What are you thinking?»

«I thought I'd divide it into two areas, a larger one at the front, and a smaller one at the back with a bathroom. I can do everything with recycled materials.»

«I don't doubt you could, but why would you want to?»

«What would you think if I told you this is going to be the first warp 5 ship on which a child is born?»

The captain shook his head slightly. «You've lost me.»

Trip laughed.

At that point Archer understood and joined him. He got up and went to hug his friend. «We must celebrate!» He retrieved a bottle of Andorian ale from a cabinet and poured for himself and Trip. «There was a lot of gossip about a romance between you and T'Pol, but I never thought it was so serious. Congratulations!»

They raised their glasses. «As captain of the ship, I'll have to marry you?»

«Don't even think about it.» Trip said.

«When will the happy event be?»

«Within six months.»

Archer shook his head slightly. «And you wait so long to tell me?»

«T'Pol is concerned about the future of the girl.»

«It's a girl?»

Trip nodded, smiling. «She says that a half human and half Vulcan won't have an easy life.»

Archer finished his glass of ale. «I can't blame her. But here on the Enterprise she will have no problems. Indeed, the sooner you formalize it, the sooner the gossip will cease.» He put the glass on the table. «And how do you feel?»

Trip smiled slightly. «Very confused. But I'm great.»

§24bis

«Is it really necessary?» asked T'Pol.

«Yes,» said Tucker. «Come on, close your eyes.»

She did as she asked. Human folly, ...

Trip opened the door and took the Vulcan by the hand. «Watch out for the door support. OK, one more step. Now you can open your eyes.»

T'Pol gasped.

«Well?»

«It's really beautiful.» she said. «How... how did you do that?»

«With a little help from Malcolm, Jonathan and Travis for the furniture, and from Hoshi and Phlox for the decorations.»

In the middle of the wall was a large double bed, covered with a quilt in pastel colours with black lettering in old Vulcan. At the foot of the bed there was a wicker cradle with white sheets and yellow blankets. «I hope that the writings aren't insults.» He said with a smile.

T'Pol shook her head slightly. «No.» She sat on the edge of the bed, sliding her hand on the bed. «It says "mene-ur-sakkhet seveh", "Live long and prosper," repeated throughout the fabric.»

Trip stretched out behind her, put his arm around her waist, resting her hand on her belly that was no longer possible to hide. «I would say that it worked.»

«It's beautiful. Where did you get it?»

«You won't believe what Hoshi could find in a bazaar in the suburbs of Bethel IV.»

«And speaking about IV,» she whispered, lying down, «if he were a boy I would not have had any doubts about the name.»

«Mhm?»

«Charles Tucker IV.»

Trip shook his head slightly. «Nah.»

«You said that you wanted to call him that.»

«When?»

«When you and Malcolm were stranded alone inside shuttlepod one.»

Tucker looked surprised. «And how do you know that?»

«Malcolm told me.» she said. «When he congratulated, he didn't know that she was a girl.»

«I think we should also think of a Vulcan name.» he said.

«Why?»

«Because she'll have pointed ears.»

«-Olozikhaik...-» whispered T'Pol.

«What?»

«Logical. Yes, you're right.»

If it was a boy, he thought, he would have been called Lorian Charles Tucker IV.

«But you'll want to give your surname, as is the custom on Earth, right?»

Trip smiled. «Well, yeah, I'm a Human male, after all.»

«What about Elizabeth Tucker II?»

Tucker felt touched at heart. T'Pol could be sweet. Very sweet. Too bad that she could also hide it, usually. Not this time. Perhaps it was the hormones. Nevertheless he couldn't resist a joke. «But my great-grandmother was called that.»

«It's not your sister?»

«My sister was Elizabeth III.»

«Then Elizabeth Tucker IV.» she said. «Have you all got recycled names?»

«A bad habit of my family. We could also eliminate this tradition.»

«No.» said T'Pol. «I like that. If it had been a boy I would have wanted to call him Lorian, like my father.»

«T'Les could be a nice name too.»

«No.» she said. «I love my mother, but she has always been a spoke in the wheel of our relationship.» She sighed.

«T'Mir.» Trip said.

«T'Mir?»

«Yes. The name of the first Vulcan on Earth. It's appropriate, since she is the first Vulcan-Human.»

«I thought you didn't believe that story.»

Trip smiled. «There is another reason. You surely know that Earth has had, for many years, a Russian space station Mir.»

T'Pol nodded. Yes, it was a good choice. In the end they were both astronauts.

«And once, speaking with Hoshi, she told me that "mir" is a Russian word meaning "peace". So I think it is an absolutely appropriate name... and a lucky one. The peace between Terrans and Vulcans, peace in the universe.»

«Yes, it's good.»

«Will she like it?» He pulled up and gently put his lips on T'Pol's belly. «Elizabeth T'Mir Tucker IV, do you like it, my little sweet girl daddy's love?»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	25. Chapter 25

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§25

«Are you sure you don't want me to stay here today?»

«There are still at least two weeks to go.» T'Pol put her hand on Trip's, who embraced her, lying behind her. «Go to the planet and enjoy your visit.»

«But I'll miss you...» His words were barely audible, as he was talking with his lips resting on her shoulder. «You'll only be gone for one afternoon.» She turned, putting her arm around his shoulders. «Don't worry.» She kissed him on the lips

Trip sat up on the bed. «I'd better go.» He leaned forward to kiss the Vulcan's belly. «Bye bye, my love. Enjoy your rest, today.»

T'Pol nodded. «Go, or you will be late.»

He nodded and stood up. «Are you coming to the messhall today?»

«No, I prefer to eat in our room if you don't mind.»

«Ok.» he said.

When he returned at noon, T'Pol was sitting on the floor in meditation, on a big pillow that Trip had brought back from one of his away missions.

Tucker sat down before her and handed her a sealed container. «Bon appetit.» he said.

T'Pol slowly opened her eyes. «Thank you.» she said, taking the plate.

«Listen. I don't want to fight with you right just when I have to be away for several hours, but explain to me why you won't go out any more.»

She forked the vegetables and put them in her mouth quickly to buy time.

«T'Pol.»

She gulped. «There is no need for me to go out. All that the captain asks me to do I can do it from my computer.»

«Of course, we have put to rest the rumours about us and now you give them something new to gossip about?»

T'Pol threw the fork on the table and stood up, clinging to the edge of the bed. «Do you want me to return to the bridge? How am I supposed to stay there? I am huge.»

Trip sighed and put his fork next to T'Pol's. «I'm just saying that you've been stuck in here for days. There would be stale air if we were on a planet!»

«We're not on a planet! We are not in a normal house, we are not a normal family!» she shouted.

He stood up and took her by the shoulders. «It's true. You're right.» he said. «But now calm down.»

The Vulcan shrugged off his hands. «You are the one who's telling me to calm down?»

«I would say yes, because at least I know I'm not perfect.» He replied harshly, then quickly left the room.

T'Pol fell back on the bed. It was not the first time that they had argued, even since they had discovered that they would soon become parents.

She sighed. Usually, however, they immediately made peace. Or rather, Trip resolved the situation, with his light-hearted human character, so sweet and so happy.

She retrieved her plate and finished eating the vegetables. «Come on, Trip, come back to talk to me.» she whispered. She waited, but Tucker did not return. By now he would be preparing the shuttle pod for the landing party, so she concluded that this time he wasn't coming back to make peace. He was going to leave her to fret in anger and remorse without saying anything until evening, perhaps until the next morning. She sat down on the pillow, then picked up Trip's dish: pasta with a meat sauce.

She took his fork and stirred the pasta for some moments, then she forked one with a piece of meat and slowly brought it to her mouth. She closed her eyes. The flavor was new, particularly vivid. Very strong. But it was good.

She liked it.

She took another mouthful, then another, and she ended clearing up the other half of the dish.

«T'Pol?»

She winced when she heard Trip's voice behind her. She wiped her lips with the back of her hand and placed the empty plate back on the table. Then she turned to return his gaze. «You ... why haven't you left with the landing party?»

«We'll be leaving in half an hour.» He walked slowly and sat down beside her. «Do you like that?»

T'Pol nodded slowly. «It has a very intense flavor.»

Trip put his arm around her waist. «I'm sorry that I was angry before.»

«I'm sorry I keep hiding in here.»

«Why do you? What's outside these quarters that scares you so much?»

«I'm not scared.»

«Then why?»

T'Pol sighed. «They look at me so strangely. The same as when the mission began. At that time they looked strangely at my ears, now my belly. As if they were afraid of ... of what will come out.»

«Who does that?»

She shrugged.

«Tell me. I'll go and beat them up!» He smiled.

She closed her eyes and fell back against Tucker's shoulder. «I don't know, it's probably the hormones, it is just me and... I'm going crazy. I'm carrying a hybrid child, I don't know what future we will have, we're light years from my home planet, I'm with the most impulsive Human I know...»

«The most impulsive?» He asked, laughing.

T'Pol sighed. «Between you and Captain Archer it is a good race.»

«This expression is very human.» Trip whispered, kissing her ear. «Do you want me to stay here?»

«No. Go, bring me a souvenir.»

He laughed. «I think it is true that we have developed a bond, also this one is an expression of mine.» He stroked her cheek. «You know, I've spoken with people. They don't look at you strangely. They're just happy that something so beautiful is happening to you, to me, to Enterprise.» He smiled. «Hoshi, Travis and Jonathan have each offered to be godparents. From what I understand Denobulans don't have that custom, otherwise I think Phlox would have offered too. And Malcolm is too shy to ask.» He pulled himself to his feet. «I'd better go.»

T'Pol nodded. "See you tonight."

She pulled herself up and looked in the mirror. Archer had four uniforms adjusted for her, so they would still be comfortable even in the ninth month of pregnancy. She pulled her hair behind her ears. She had let it grow slightly. Trip said she looked better.

She took a deep breath and stepped out of her quarters. She walked slowly towards the bridge. When she passed Travis, who had just finished his shift, she felt a momentary panic. She thought about turning around and running back. «Commander.» Travis smiled at her with his beautiful young smile. «Are you okay?»

T'Pol nodded. «Yes, thank you. Is everything OK on the bridge?»

«Everything is fine.» He replied. «Have you eaten?»

«Yes.» T'Pol had never had long conversations with Mayweather. , now that she thought of it, she never had long conversations with anyone, except Trip. Even with Archer, when they had long conversations it was usually about work. Three years earlier, the captain asked her to "socialize" with the crew. But she admitted that she still wasn't good at it.

«Aren't you going down to the planet?»

«No, I'm giving it a miss this time.» Travis replied. «Maybe I'll go on the next one. Commander Tucker told me that you have everything you need for the child, but if you need anything, count on me.»

T'Pol nodded. «Thank you.» She continued towards the bridge. She entered the turbolift and turned just in time to see Hoshi running toward her. She had avoided her as much as possible, after seeing her "mirror" in bed with Archer. This time, however, T'Pol held the doors of the turbolift so that Hoshi could enter. «Thanks.» she said. «To the bridge?»

«Yes. Are you going there too?»

T'Pol nodded. «Hoshi.» she said, uncertainly.

«Yes?» Hoshi's voice was not only versatile, but also very sweet.

«I was wondering. You were a teacher, right?»

Sato smiled. «Yes, ages ago.»

«Less than five years ago, I believe.»

«Yes, yes, but this mission... well, so much has happened that it feels like it's been a century.»

T'Pol was silent for a moment. «I was wondering if... if this mission lasts more years... if you could...» She hesitated for a moment. «If you would be willing to act as a language teacher to my daughter?»

Hoshi smiled. «Of course! It would be wonderful!»

T'Pol nodded. «Thank you.»

«It's a pleasure. How do you feel now?»

«"Now"?»

«Yes, I haven't seen you on the bridge for a while. I thought you might not have been feeling well. It's understandable.»

But women have given birth on star ships for years, thought T'Pol. Travis Mayweather was living proof. «Yes, I'm feeling much better, thank you.»

«It must be very beautiful.» whispered the young woman.

«What?»

«To have a child.» Hoshi smiled. «We've arrived.»

«Wait.»

The girl turned. The Vulcan was full of surprises today.

«Can you tell me the meaning of the name 'Elizabeth'? I know Trip has already asked you about "Mir", which means "peace" in Russian.»

Hoshi nodded. «Yes. "Elizabeth." I believe that it is Hebrew, but I should check. I'll let you know as soon as I finish my shift.»

T'Pol nodded. «Thank you.»

They went onto the bridge. Archer turned around and didn't hide his surprise at seeing T'Pol. «Commander.» He said. «It's a pleasure to have you back on the bridge.» He offered her his chair. «Please, sit down.»

She looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

«Come on, it's the most comfortable chair on the ship. It's only right that you take it.»

The most comfortable chair on the bridge, she thought to herself, but not the most comfortable chair on the ship. The chair that Trip had presented her with a few days ago was far superior. Trip had given her a confusing explanation involving Daniels and somebody named "Picard"[1], but after feeling how comfortable the chair was she had decided not to press for details. In any case, she didn't want to be seated in the middle of the bridge and have everyone's attention on her.

«Thank you captain,» she said «but I came here for just a few minutes.»

Archer nodded. «As you wish.»

T'Pol went to the science station. «Commander, do you want this seat?» asked Fisher, the officer who had replaced her.

«No, I'm fine. I just want to take a look at the situation.» She had to admit that she was missing her life on the bridge. When she felt a slight twinge she thought she had been over-exerting herself, compared to previous days. She headed to the turbolift and Archer followed her. When the doors closed behind them, T'Pol turned with her back to the wall, putting as much distance between her and the captain as possible. «I wanted to ask you whether you're really fine or there's something wrong.»

«No, everything is fine, thank you. The pregnancy is a bit stressful.»

«Have you tried those weightlessness sessions, as Phlox proposed?»

T'Pol nodded. «Yes.» She put her hands around her belly. «But the nausea has prevented them until recently.» «Do you think you'll return to bridge duty after the birth?»

She nodded slightly. Why was he asking all those questions?

«You know, I miss our chats, and our discussions.» He smiled.

The elevator stopped and she left hurriedly.

«T'Pol, are you okay?» Archer asked, following her.

«Yes, I'm just a bit tired, I'd like to return to my quarters.»

«I'll come with you.»

«I assure you that there's no need.» T'Pol said, feeling the agitation growing within her at every step.

«I'd rather come to make sure you're OK. After the birth of your child, don't you want to take a break? It could do you both some good to have a rest.»

«Yes, maybe.» she said.

«Have you already chosen a name?»

«We have some ideas.» Since when had she learned to tell lies? Well, Archer had started it, asking her to lie during the first days of the mission, while she was locked in a cave with a hallucinating Trip pointing a phaser to her head. «But for now...» Her sentence was interrupted by a strong twinge. She leaned against the wall.

«T'Pol? Are you okay?» Archer put his hand on her arm and she pushed him away in sudden fear. «Don't touch me!» She shouted.

Jonathan withdrew his hand. «Sorry.» he said.

Another twinge took her breath away.

«You'd better go to sickbay.» He said, offering her his hand in support.

«No, leave me alone, don't touch me.» T'Pol pulled back another step, bumping against the wall. «This child is mine and Trip's. Mine and Trip's, not yours.»

Archer looked at her blankly. «I know that, of course... it's obvious.» He turned to press an intercom, but the Vulcan shouted: «Don't even try!»

«I think you're a bit confused.» said the captain. «I just want to call Phlox.»

«NO! My baby is Trip's daughter!»

«I don't doubt it.» Archer dropped his hand and looked surprised. «Have we entered a trellium-D field without me noticing?»

T'Pol didn't answer. She felt herself cowering away from him.

A light step coming from the hall broke the silence. Malcolm Reed froze when he saw the tension between them. «Excuse me.» he said. [Poor boy, is always in the middle!]

T'Pol looked up at him.

«It's... everything ok?»

«No.» replied the Vulcan, and hurried towards him.

Malcolm was tempted to think of a retreat, but he was deeply surprised when T'Pol went to hide behind him, almost clinging to his back.

«That is not our Captain Archer.» she said.

Reed looked up at Archer, who shook his head slightly.

«Don't believe him!» shouted T'Pol, clinging to his arm, but careful to keep Reed between them.

«T'Pol, you're becoming paranoid.» Archer said.

«Please, Lieutenant Reed! I need you to help me protect my child!»

Malcolm felt T'Pol squeeze his arm harder and harder, as if she was hanging on for her life. He didn't recognize her any more.

«Captain, do you want to tell me your security code?» asked Reed. -Trust is good.- he thought. -Do not trust is better.-

They had agreed, as soon as Archer and Hoshi were returned, a security code to be provided in case of doubt. There would be no problem to supply it by the person concerned and in fact the captain gave the correct code.

«Are you reassured now, commander? We can go...»

Archer's sentence was interrupted by T'Pol's shout, still clinging to Reed's arm so hard that it almost hurt him. Malcolm had turned to help her to stand, when he felt the liquid drench the pants of his uniform.

Archer had been standing back out of respect for the terror that the Vulcan seemed to feel toward him, but now strode forwards. «Her waters have broken, we must take her to sickbay immediately and call Trip.»

«No,» she shouted, «don't touch me!»

Malcolm put his arm around her shoulders. «You can trust him, he's our Archer.»

T'Pol squeezed under his arm. «Don't leave me alone with him.» she whispered.

Reed turned to Archer: «Go call Trip, I'll take care of getting her to sickbay.»

While they walked toward the sickbay, T'Pol whispered: «I'm sorry to have soaked you.»

«No problem.» answered Reed. «You'll see Trip will be back soon.» They went into sickbay and Malcolm started to feel a deep terror when he didn't see Phlox. «Lay down here.» said Reed.

«Lay down?» she exclaimed. «I have to deliver, not to sleep!»

«Aehm, well... so, where... where do you have to go?» Okay, things had probably changed since the movies he had seen, which were where his only informations about child birth came from.

«There's a special delivery chair behind there. Phlox put it there for me.»

Malcolm took her to the surgical bay and pulled the curtain closed. «I'm going to look for Phlox.»

«NO! USE THE INTERCOM!» T'Pol screamed.

He pushed the button. «Reed to doctor Phlox. Please come to the sickbay immediately, it's urgent.» He looked to T'Pol. «Very urgent.» He waited some moments. «Phlox?» The panic was growing. –Okay, now let's calm down.- he said himself. –Women deliver every day. Even in space. Anyone can do it. Yeah, but this time I'm the one here, not anyone else!—

He punched the button again. «Reed to Phlox, come...»

His sentence was interrupted by Phlox running in through the doors, a sandwich of some sort still in his hand. «I didn't stop to reply!» said the doctor. «Archer already told me.» He threw the sandwich on a shelf. «Quick, put on a sterile gown.»

«ME?» Malcolm screamt. «I can't stay here while...»

«Please, lieutenant Reed!» exclaimed T'Pol.

While he was putting on a white gown, Malcolm thought that if Trip wasn't coming back soon he would have to shoot himself with a phase rifle on stunning setting, it would be his only way out of the situation. A paranoid T'Pol was one thing, but T'Pol having a baby was something else altogether.

«How... how much time?» he stammered.

Phlox answered: «She could come in minutes or in a day, according to data on Vulcan and Human deliveries. The problem is that she is both!» He turned and picked up a hypospray. «In the meantime we can use an epidural injection for...»

«No.» T'Pol stopped him. «We cannot know whether it will harm my daughter. So no anesthetic, no drugs, nothing!»

«But this will not affect the child.» Phlox said. «It will go only in your spine and...»

T'Pol leaned forward and took the doctor by the collar of his gown: «Maybe I haven't made myself clear, you imbecile: I don't want any of that crap!»

Reed glanced at Phlox: since when had T'Pol used words like that?

Phlox smiled and covered her hand that was holding his coat. «Okay, so you'll have to endure the pain.»

T'Pol closed her eyes and threw herself back into the chair. «I apologise.» She felt that the contractions were fading, at least for a while.

«Don't worry about it.» Phlox patted her hand.

«Dr. Phlox, it's a premature birth, isn't it?»

The doctor shrugged his shoulders slightly, and passed a medical scanner over her. «Just two weeks early is not really premature. The child is perfectly formed. She's "ready to come".»

«But this early arrival could be due to a meal, a meal with...» she hesitated «...meat?»

«You ate flesh?»

T'Pol nodded. «I don't know what it was, to tell the truth. It was pasta with sauce.»

«Bacon and rosemary.» Malcolm suggested. «There was some today in the mess, Trip took a plate for himself.»

«A very good pot.» replied the doctor.

«The contractions are starting again.» whispered T'Pol. «Where's Trip? We are together, he has to be here!»

«Here I am!» said Trip's brightly, as he hurried into sickbay. He quickly put on a gown and sat down behind T'Pol, making her lean back on his chest. He gave her a kiss on the forehead. «How are you?»

«I'm better now.» she said.

«Ok, then I can go.» said Malcolm, but the Vulcan took him by his sleeve - again. «No, stay here, please.»

«It's... okay... well...» he stammered.

T'Pol's hand shook slightly. «You could be her godfather.»

«Why me?»

«You're the only one who has not asked for it. And you're the only one who has been watered with amniotic fluid.»

Malcolm stood behind the chair, so he could stay there without standing too close. If he could, in fact, he would have run away. But how could he pull back now? In reality what happened next was quite chaotic and Malcolm barely remembered it. Trip held T'Pol's hand, saying that she was doing great. She did what Phlox told her, following every indication, while the doctor kept saying that everything was perfect.

When the Denobulan raised a green bloodied baby, still with the umbilical cord, and with two beautiful pointed ears, Reed collapsed to the ground.

After having checked and washed the girl, Phlox wrapped her in a small white towel and handed her to her parents. «Here's the girl. Now, excuse me, but there is a patient on the floor waiting for me.»

T'Pol pulled back the cloth.

«Pointed ears.» Trip whispered, stroking a tiny little hand. «I love them. Look how beautiful she is.»

T'Pol relaxed back against him. «She's beautiful. Yes, beautiful.» She kissed her on the forehead. «Hello Elizabeth T'Mir.» T'Pol smiled.

«You're smiling.» whispered Trip.

«How can you not smile at a girl like her?»

Trip turned slightly when he heard the sound of footsteps. «How is Malcolm?»

«A little shaken, but he's fine.»

«Yes, I'm on my feet.» He said, remaining behind the curtain.

«Lieutenant, come in for a moment.» T'Pol called him.

«Yes, come in, there's nothing to be afraid of now.» joked Trip.

Malcolm came in hesitantly but backed away when T'Pol handed him the baby.

«Oh no, no thanks, really, I don't know ... I don't know how to hold a baby, I ...»

«Come on, Malcolm, if you're going to be her godfather, sooner or later you will have to hold her.» urged Trip.

He let out a slight resigned sigh and took the baby awkwardly in his arms, trying to hold her properly. He laughed slightly embarrassed. «How light she is.»

«Meet Elizabeth T'Mir Tucker IV.» Trip said. «She's beautiful, isn't she?»

«She's wonderful.» Reed answered, taking care to give her back to her parents as soon as possible. Then he glanced outside the curtain. «Um, the captain is out there.»

T'Pol nodded.

Archer walked slowly into the room and smiled to the two new parents. «She's beautiful.» He said. «She has her mother's pointed ears.»

Trip laughed. «She didn't get them from me.»

T'Pol raised an eyebrow, but then turned to Archer. »I don't remember exactly what I told you, but I must not have been very kind.»

«Don't worry,» the captain smiled, «it won't end up in your file.»

The Vulcan could see that it would be fairly easy to distinguish between the two Archers. The expression of their captain, the words, his smile, his attitude, everything was much sweeter. «Lieutenant Reed held her, first. Do you want to hold her too?» She had read that it was customary among humans, picking up the children of friends and relatives to cuddle. She was certain that Enterprise would have no shortage of people to spoil the child.

Archer smiled at her. «Gladly.» He picked her up in his arms, much more confidently than Reed. «Hello little one, you are so cute.» He whispered. «If you need babysitting I'm here, and out the door there is a queue of eighty people.»

Note 1: This is a reference to another story "Picard's Chair".

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	26. Chapter 26

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§26

«I'll go.» whispered Trip sleepily.

«No, leave it to me.» T'Pol turned, but the Trip stopped her with one hand on her shoulder.

«No. It's my turn.» he said.

«You said that the last four times.» T'Pol turned on the dim light on the head of the bed.

«I don't even need to get up.» he said, as he slid towards the foot of the bed. He picked up his daughter who was crying like mad. «Oochy-woochy kootchie-koo» he said.

«"Oochy-woochy kootchie-koo"?» asked T'Pol.

«Yes, it's an obscure Earth dialect.» Trip said, teasing her. «Ask Hoshi if you want a better explanation. Uhm...»

«What?»

«I have to change her. She made about five liters of pee.»

«I'll deal with it.»

«Nah, I'm already up.» He took the girl into the bathroom to change her diaper. «Hello puppy.» He said. «Hello Elizabeth.» He took the diaper off: it always amazed him how much pee such a small baby could make. «Hello Elisa. Hello Beth. Hello Betty. Hello Lisa. Hello Lizzy. Hello Liz. Hello Lisy.» He came in the room with the baby in his arms while she held her head on his shoulder.

T'Pol felt an incredible feeling of tenderness. In these moments she was glad that she had used trellium-D in the past. «Why do you say hello to her in all those ways?»

Trip sat on the bed, holding the little one to his chest. «"Elizabeth" doesn't feel quite right.» he said.

«In what sense?»

«Well, she doesn't look like an "Elizabeth ". So I tried Elisa, Lisa, Beth, Betty, Liz, Lisy, Lizzy...»

«Lizzy is cute.» T'Pol said.

He looked at the baby, who seemed to be more awake than both of them. «Lizzy?» He kissed her forehead. «Maybe.» He stroked her little ears. «I've thought about it a lot, T'Pol, and I think T'Mir is better.» He lay down, keeping the baby on his chest.

«You should put her in her cradle.»

«Dr. Spock says it's OK to spoil children...»

«Dr. Spock?» She asked.

«An American doctor who lived a couple of centuries ago. My mom followed his teaching.»

«Oh, that Dr. Spock.» She said. «Yes, I read some of his theories when I was in San Francisco. Many are outdated.»

«Well, anyway, she is the only child I have, let me spoil her.» He patted the baby on her back, while she, with an expression of satisfaction, went back to sleep peacefully lying on her father's chest.

It occured to T'Pol that Trip had another daughter too, in a sense. She decided not to mention it because his other 'daughter' didn't share any of his genetic material, and had been taken away before she was fully grown. And most of all she didn't want to reproach him – yet again – about that.

He continued. «And when we have another little one, I'll spoil that too, because it will be my only second child.»

«And if they're twins?» T'Pol teased.

«Uh, I'll spoil both of them, being my only twins.»

The Vulcan turned on her side, resting her forehead on his shoulder. «You know that Spock is also a Vulcan name?»

«Spock? But how can you call a baby "Spock"? It's a horrible name. You want to harm a child calling it that...»

§26bis

Trip turned back when he felt someone sneak into bed. T'Pol had just left to start her shift.

«Is that my Lizzy Vices?» he asked.

The child squatted beside him, resting her head on his chest. «Hello daddy.» she said.

«Hello T'Mir.» He kissed her forehead. «Only two minutes, then we have to get up.»

«Oof, why so early?»

«Because Hoshi is coming down to the surface with us today, so she has brought your lessons forward.» He stroked her hair, bangs as black as those of her grandfather, as short as those of her mother... disheveled as those of her father in the early morning.

A few months after T'Mir was born they had been on holiday to Vulcan. Since T'Pol hadn't written to her mother more than a couple of times since their return from Vulcan after the end of the mission against the Xindi, T'Les was completely unaware of the evolution of their relationship. At first she was very cool to all three of them, but after Trip had repaired a few of the appliances in her house the Vulcan began to be more gentle with him.

Trip had later discovered that the new grandmother had already made many secret expressions of affection to her granddaughter – in the Vulcan way - from the first hours of their stay on Vulcan.

«Take care of my granddaughter.» she had said, in her impassive Vulcan tone, shortly before they returned to Enterprise.

They had had a very warm welcome by Trip's parents when they returned to Earth: they hadn't stopped declaring the beauty of the baby for a minute and continued to call friends, relatives and acquaintances to talk about her. Trip had expected that, but he didn't imagine the change in T'Pol's mother.

«Can I go to help Malcolm, today?»

«No.» replied Trip.

«C'mon, daddy... only five minutes.»

«No.» he replied. «You broke a phaser gun that could have shot you. So the answer is no.»

«I promise not to break anything,» she said.

«Yes, you have already promised. But your mother put you on punishment for ten days and I agree with her. You know that weapons are dangerous.» he kissed her forehead. «Come on, my Lizzy Vices. It's time to get up.»

«Okay, daddy!» The girl jumped up and ran to the bathroom.

Trip sighed. He was very sorry to continue the punishment, but this time he had to admit T'Pol was right. He didn't entirely understand T'Mir's obsession with helping Malcolm all the time, but he would investigate further.

§26ter

Trip handed his daughter a blue bag with an incomprehensible – at least to him – yellow label.

«Will you translate this writing for me?» he asked. T'Mir wasn't a language genius, she had more inclination towards the sciences. Nevertheless, Hoshi's skills had allowed her to learn even the Xindi reptilian dialect, which nobody else on Enterprise had learned so far. Trip had the distinct feeling that they used it as a personal code.

«Bazaar... Triax, the... mmhm... best silk of the Galaxy.»

«You're really good.» He said. He helped to put on her clothes. «And you're beautiful in that dress.»

«Do you think Malcolm will like it too?»

Trip looked up to heaven. «Do know you how much older Malcolm is than you?» He took her in his arms and slowly combed her hair, then pulled it back slightly from her forehead stopping it with small silver springs decorated with daisies.

«About thirty, there is more difference between you and m'aih.»

Tucker laughed. T'Mir had her mother's mathematical mind. Definitely. He kissed her forehead. «You're beautiful. I'm sure he'll like it. But now will you come to engineering with me?»

They worked together for a few minutes at the engines, until there came a call from Archer: «Trip, are we ready?»

«I would say so.» He said. He picked up his daughter. «Come on, do it yourself.»

«Me? But daddy, I just learned how to crimp...»

«Come on, push these levers up slowly, and keep your eyes on the flow monitor here.»

T'Mir put her hands on the levers, as she had seen her father do thousands of times. «Like this?»

«Yes, you're doing great.» Trip knew it: T'Mir would become an engineer, not a scientist. She lived among the engines, not the data. «Ok, keep it up.»

They perceived a slight acceleration and then a separate cheer from all hands.

«Ladies and gentlemen, warp six.» said Trip.

Archer's voice came over the intercom: «Congratulations Trip, we are at warp 6!»

«Don't congratulate me, it was T'Mir who took us to warp 6!»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	27. Chapter 27

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§27

T'Pol held her daughter as she ran through the corridors of the ship. Behind them they left a trail of red blood drops. «Phlox!» she call out as she entered sickbay.

The Denobulan hurried up, pointing T'Pol to put T'Mir on the biobed.

«It hurts,» cried T'Mir. «M'aih, it hurts!»

Phlox passed the tricorder over the little girl's left arm, although he could see at once what was wrong. «It's an open fracture. But she has no other internal injuries.» He took a hypospray and pushed it to the girl's throat. Nothing happened.

«It still hurts, Phlox,» she said.

«I'll try a different compound.» He hurried away, while T'Pol clutched her daughter. «You'll see, Phlox will soon find something to make you feel better.»

«Here we are,» said the doctor. He pressed another hypospray to her throat, but still there was no effect. «Wow, those stubborn nerves!»

-Stubborn as her father,- thought T'Pol. -And her mother.-

Trip rushed in. «What happened?» He took T'Mir's right hand.

«She was playing in the gym, she fell on her arm.»

«My cutie.» Trip kissed her forehead.

The doctor came with two different hyposprays, neither of which had the slightest effect.

«Phlox cannot anesthetize her,» said T'Pol.

T'Mir continued to weep and moan, while her mother dabbed the wound.

«Try the Vulcan pinch,» whispered Trip. «She will feel a little pinch, but at least she'll lose consciousness.»

T'Pol wasn't convinced, but she did as he suggested. She felt the girl's shoulder stiffen and she cried even more. «It doesn't work.» She began to massage it. How was it possible that this child was so special?

«I'll be right back,» said Trip, hurrying out of the room.

«I have to put her arm in traction and reposition the bone inside,» Phlox concluded. «She's still bleeding.»

«Wait just a minute for Trip to come back,» T'Pol asked.

«What does he have in mind?»

«I'm not sure,» she whispered, as she began to press the neural nodes on the sides of her daughter's spine. «Relax, T'Mir, you'll see that neuropressure will help you.»

«It hurts so much!»

Trip returned with a phaser in his hand.

«What are you going to do?» asked Phlox.

«I'm using this as a hypospray,» Tucker said. He put a hand on her daughter's cheek. «Shall we try?»

T'Mir nodded.

He took aim, pointing at her left shoulder. His hands trembled slightly. He could not decide. Did he really had to stun her? Was there no other way to anesthetize her? What had they done? They had given birth to such beauty destined to have problems for life? Maybe T'Pol's mother was right. What life they could give her?

He rechecked again that the pistol was set on stun, and then fired.

T'Mir shouted again, clinging firmly to her mother. Without fainting.

«Shit!» Trip shouted, throwing the weapon on the first surface that happened to be in reach. He took T'Mir in his arms. «Sorry, my love, I'm sorry,» he whispered, kissing her.

«What a horrible system,» mumbled Phlox. «I won't wait any longer. The sooner I fix her arm, the sooner her suffering will be eased.»

«But it hurts too badly, Phlox,» T'Mir cried, trying to pull her arm away.

«Of course, because now we have to treat a phaser burn too!»

Trip took her arm. «Come on, T'Mir, I promise that soon we'll all go and do something great together.»

«All three of us?» she asked.

T'Pol nodded. «All three.»

§27bis

Trip opened the door, keeping his eyes on the bed.

«How is she?» asked Archer, on the threshold.

«Better, she was able to fall asleep.»

«Phlox has proposed a detour to Regula, in order to submit the case to some of his medical friends of the inter-species exchange. We're heading there.»

Trip nodded. «Thank you. The neuropressure has been enough until today.»

«I have already told T'Pol to take the day off tomorrow. If you also want ...»

«No, I'll sit with her today. We'll need shore leave together soon, I promised T'Mir. I shouldn't have shot her. Now she has burned skin too.»

Jonathan patted him on the shoulder. «You thought it would help.»

The girl turned in the bed and opened her eyes. «Hello Jonathan,» she said.

«How do you feel?»

«It hurts.» She pointed to her arm in plaster. «Are you free now?»

He nodded. «Why?»

«Dad hasn't been out for hours. I know he's hungry because his stomach is growling.»

Tucker rolled his eyes.

«But he won't leave me here alone. And I want to hear one of those stories that they don't want me to be told.»

Archer laughed.

«It's not that we don't want to tell you those stories,» Trip defended himself, «it's just...»

«Telling how you saved the entire ship in your underwear is embarrassing?» Archer suggested.

T'Mir laughed. «I don't know that one!»

«I hate it when you two gang up on me!» grumbled Trip. «See you later.»

Archer went to sit on a cushion on the floor, next to the bed. «Do you often sleep in your parents' bed?» he asked.

«Yes. Although M'aih doesn't want me to. She says I'll grow up spoiled.»

He smiled. As if there was any doubt about that, he thought, for the only babygirl on a ship of more than eighty adults.

«Tell me about Trip in his underwear, Jonathan.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	28. Chapter 28

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§28

«It's beautiful, isn't it?» Trip sat before a large window in the side of the ship. His daughter, now fourteen, her head resting on his shoulder, had his arm in her hands.

«Yes, very nice.» T'Pol said.

«It looks a bit like Earth.»

«There are no higher life forms,» she objected.

«Yes, OK, but the land is green and the sea is turquoise.»

«When will we land?» asked T'Mir.

T'Pol had found the planet that could be reached with a little detour on their course. No one had objected, even though they were, after all these years, returning to Earth permanently. Star travel for exploration would continue, but with new ships, new crews... maybe some of the "old space dogs", but not that great family which had raised T'Mir.

«We have to complete another orbit, then we'll enter a geostationary orbit and we can go.»

Since T'Mir had broken her arm the three of them had made many trips together. This was the first time there would be four; T'Pol had recently discovered she was pregnant again. There were many years between T'Mir and the girl who would be born in seven months time, but T'Pol had said that was common among Vulcans. They had not decided her name yet.

«Ready to go down?» asked the voice of Archer, a few minutes later.

«Ready!» said T'Mir, jumping up. There would be four shuttles; one just for them, since they had obtained permission to have a picnic on the beach.

Trip picked up the lunch basket and took T'Mir's hand. It felt good. Too good to last.

§28bis

Archer looked at the black dots on the screen: space debris just illuminated by the star of this planet so similar to Earth. «It is not possible,» he whispered. He zoomed in for a closer look. Three of the four shuttles sent away this morning returned safely.

The fourth did not respond to calls.

«Try again,» he said to Hoshi.

She shook her head. «No, they aren't responding.»

Jonathan zoomed in again.

«Captain,» said Travis.

«Yes, I've seen it.»

There was writing on the debris that floated on the screen: «Shuttlepod One.»

«Scan for life signs,» he said to the officer science.

«Nothing, sir,» he said.

«Try again.»

«Captain.» Reed called him on entering the bridge. «We... found Trip and T'Pol.»

«Where are they now?» he asked, running to the turbolift. «How are they?»

Reed shook his head slightly.

Archer leaned against the wall. It wasn't possible. They had survived dangerous missions, had been in perilous places. How could they be dead in such an absurd way, during a pleasure trip?

«T'Mir?»

«No trace. She's gone.»

§28ter

«I think today is my birthday.»

The young Andorian, whose distinctive skin ridges stood out, stopped fiddling with a PADD and looked at her. «How do you know?»

«I am half-Vulcan, I can keep track of time quite well.»

Afhel stood up and took Andorian beer from a cabinet, poured two glasses and handed her one. «Then we will have a toast. How old are you?»

«Twenty,» T'Mir said. She clinked her glass with her friend's and then emptied it in one gulp like him.

«What would you like as a birthday present?»

«I want to go back to Enterprise.»

Afhel put his hand on her shoulder. «I understand.»

T'Mir pulled back her long black hair. «Don't you want to go back to your fellows?»

«Andorians or Denobulans?»

T'Mir laughed and handed him the glass. «Give me some more, please. What do you feel more?»

«Andorian, I think,» he said. He got up and went to rummage in a cabinet. «Anyway, I was looking for a special occasion and I found it.» He held out an object wrapped in a brown cloth.

«What's that?» she asked.

«Open it. And obviously it's something that I stole from our bosses.»

She unwrapped the cloth and pulled out a small laser welder. She laughed. «Thanks, Afhel.» She hugged him. «It's a really nice thought.»

«I'm sorry if maybe you were expecting something more romantic.»

She shook her head slightly. «I didn't expect anything, really. It was kind of you.» She turned the tool in her fingers and, with one hand, put it up her sleeve. She didn't know exactly what she was going to use it for, but she'd think of something.

Afhel put his arm around her shoulders. «Do you ever think what your life would be like if you hadn't been brought here?»

She sighed and leaned against her friend. «I'd have gone to Starfleet Academy in San Francisco and after graduation I was going to ask to be assigned to Malcolm Reed's ship.»

«Do you miss him?»

T'Mir laughed slightly. «"Miss" is an understatement. I miss him so much, and my parents, my captain, my language teacher.»

Afhel didn't remember his parents. He had been kidnapped as a child and had always been confined in the base. T'Mir was considered more fortunate than him, at least she had enjoyed fourteen years with her parents and all the freedom that Enterprise allowed.

«I miss my Dad so much,» she whispered. She remembered when he brought back gifts from the planets surface, or when they played on the big bed. «I don't feel I've shown enough love to him when we were together.»

«Do you think he is still alive?» asked Afhel.

T'Mir shook her head. «I don't know, I don't think so. Maybe my mother. She was going to have another child. I wonder, if it's so, where my sister is.»

Afhel kissed her hair. Since she had arrived there, their captors had done nothing but encourage her to have a child with another race. Afhel was the first candidate because he was a hybrid. If they had a child it would be Human, Vulcan, Andorian, Denobulan at the same time.

She had to endure the pon farr twelve times a year, twelve matings that she had to go through even if she didn't want to and during which her body overwhelmed her mind and pushed the Human-Vulcan to mate with any male she happened to be with.

It wasn't a natural thing, she had an activator implanted in her arm. She smiled bitterly. At least they had put it in the same arm where she had the previous scar.

She opened her eyes suddenly. «Hear that?»

«What?» asked Afhel.

«The Buzz.»

Afhel aimed his antennas. «Yes... I feel... there is something...»

«It's a ship.» T'Mir stood up. «Let's see.» They ran down the corridors, arriving at a ventilation duct. Archer had told her that once he and Trip had found themselves trapped in a pipe from which they had managed to escape just in time before being incinerated by plasma fire.

T'Mir and Afhel climbed up the wall, using the control handles up to the grate that closed the duct. Afhel positioned himself behind her, supporting her and allowing her to proceed further: she had better hearing and was lighter.

The girl stood listening for a while.

«What do they say?» whispered Afhel.

«Wait.» T'Mir felt her heart speed up abruptly. «Soval,» she whispered.

«What?»

«It's Soval.» She turned to face Afhel. «Soval. I know him, he's a Vulcan admiral, he was a friend of my mother!»

«What is he doing here?»

«It seems to be on a mission on behalf of... Starfleet. Damn, you gave me this at just the right time.» She pulled the laser welder out of her sleeve.

«What are you going to do?» he asked.

«Cut the supports and get us out of here.» She lit a welder and began to move the beam slowly along the sides of the grate.

«You're crazy. If they discover us they'll kill us. You know what happens to those who try to escape.»

«Afhel! He was the teacher and mentor of my mother! He was also a friend of my father and Jonathan. We must seize this opportunity, there will never be a better time to escape.»

The Andorian was half tempted to drag T'Mir down the pipe.

She was right, but for him who had always lived there, what life could there be out there? -Who cares .- he thought. -Any life is better outside than in here.-

«Shit,» said T'Mir. «He's going away!» She increased the power of the welder. She was almost finished, just had to cut the last bar. «Come on, stay one more minute, Soval.» Her hands were sweaty. The welder slipped from her hand and the laser beam cut across her wrist as it fell away into the duct.

T'Mir felt the intense white pain spreading through her body. She bit her tongue to keep from screaming.

«Are you okay?»

«No, but that doesn't matter,» she said. «Help me to push, we should be able to move it now!» The wrist was burning like fire. They pushed the grid, which moved slightly. «We need to hurry this up, Soval is about to leave. Give a strong push together, okay? »

Afhel nodded.

«One, two, three, go!»

The grid crashed open and T'Mir slid forward, slamming down on her right wrist. This time she couldn't help but scream in pain.

Soval turned in her direction. «What's going on?» he asked the Vulcan with whom he had been speaking.

Afhel pushed T'Mir out and then followed her, helping her to stand.

«What the hell?» whispered the Vulcan.

«Soval!» yelled T'Mir. «Soval, help us!»

The Admiral shook his head slightly. «Who are they?»

The other shrugged. «Colony workers.»

Soval approached them.

«Where are you going, Admiral?»

«Soval!» T'Mir, followed by Afhel, ran toward him. «Soval, I am T'Mir.» She came to him and clung to his uniform. «Help us, please!»

«What's going on here?»

"Afhel and I are slaves! We are used to do genetic experiments.»

The other Vulcan raised an eyebrow. «That is absolutely false.»

«We want to get out of here,» Afhel said.

«Like I said, Admiral, on this base we study the behavior of different species once they are in close contact...»

«You suck!» Yelled T'Mir. «You're using us to create super-hybrids!»

Soval raised an eyebrow. The girl had a pronunciation and a way of speaking that he recognized. He turned to the Vulcan. «It's pretty obvious that these two don't want to stay here.»

«But their parents have entrusted them to us, it is not possible...»

«I'm twenty years old and Afhel is at least twenty-four,» she said. «Soval, you don't recognize me? Elizabeth T'Mir Tucker IV!»

Soval stared at her. «The daughter of commander T'Pol? But... six years ago she was given up for dead!»

«No, I have been here the whole time! Take me away, please!»

The Vulcan nodded. Even so, he thought, he had little choice. If he hadn't taken her with him he would probably have T'Mir's nails ripping his uniform, she was holding on to him so tightly. He turned to the other Vulcan. «I think Starfleet was right to ask us to come and check. Here you traffic in slaves, then?»

The Vulcan didn't answer. He knew now that whatever he said would just make the situation worse. He wondered how the boy and girl had managed to escape.

«And you? You look half Andorian and half Denobulan. Do you want to go too?»

Afhel nodded. «Yes. As soon as possible.»

«You can't take those two away like that.»

T'Mir, who still hadn't let go his uniform, said: «We're prisoners! We are being mated with other breeds! Against our will!»

Soval opened his communicator. «Lieutenant Scott, we are ready to beam up. We are three. Bring us up.»

«"Bring us up"?» asked Afhel.

«Teleport,» Soval said. «Don't worry. It's totally...» He finished the sentence as they reappeared aboard his ship. «...Safe.»

Afhel looked around. «Oh crap. I'm really out of that place!»

He immediately heard a voice over the intercom. «Admiral. They are targeting their weapons at us.»

«Go to warp eight,» he said. «Contact the High Command and Starfleet immediately.»

T'Mir only now let go her grip. She could hardly believe it. It was easier than she had expected. She turned to Soval.

«Thank you,» she said, hugging him.

Soval raised an eyebrow. «Okay, okay. You're safe now.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.

Author's note: T'Mir has pon farr, she is not being sexual assaulted. This was also said in the 1st story.


	29. Chapter 29

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading.

§29

«Come in.»

Afhel looked up at T'Mir. She had her right wrist bandaged. «Hello. How's your wrist?»

The girl sat down beside him. «Well, the pain is gone. I'm sorry I lost your gift. Of course you couldn't have picked a better time to give it to me.»

They laughed together.

«How do you feel?»

Afhel shrugged. «Well, I don't know what we're going to do now.»

«Soval is going back to Earth. Where do you want to go?»

«I don't know. I don't even know who my relatives are.»

«The ship's doctor is doing genetic research to see if there's someone in the database who matches your DNA.»

«And you'll go to Earth?»

T'Mir looked down. «Well... Soval told me that when I was kidnapped, my parents were both killed.» She sniffed. «And to make matters worse, while looking for me, Malcolm was shot to death. Phlox, Hoshi and Travis are somewhere on a mission on other vessels. I just have to find Jonathan Archer.» She laughed bitterly. «I believe that's a good enough reason to return to Earth.»

Afhel put his arm around her shoulders. «If I find a relative, you could come and stay with me.»

This guy was so sweet.

«Thanks, but I want to return to Earth.»

The intercom rang. The doctor spoke with a marked Vulcan accent: «Afhel, good news.»

They ran to the infirmary: his parents were still alive!

«And what are they doing on Triaxa?» he asked.

T'Mir closed her eyes. She hadn't landed on Triaxa, that time. Her father had brought her a red silk dress, which she had paraded more than once in front of an unsuspecting Malcolm Reed, who smiled as he would to his own daughter.

«They are both scientists,» said the doctor. «They are conducting studies.»

«Do you want us to take you there?»

Afhel looked to T'Mir, who gave him the "thumbs up". He nodded. «I think it's the right thing to do.»

§29bis

«T'Mir?»

...

«T'Mir?»

...

«It's me, Soval. Are you here?»

...

«T'Mir, open the door.»

The girl sighed. She stood up and went to open the door.

«Hello,» she said. «What?»

Soval looked at her, raising an eyebrow. «What happened to your hair?»

«I cut it.» It was at least forty centimeters shorter.

«If you needed to have it cut it in the Vulcan style you only had to ask.»

«No,» she interrupted. «I prefer it this way.»

It was short, yes, but definitely more dishevelled. «You came to tell me something?»

«We're going to arrive at Earth soon. I thought you wanted to see it. Are you sure that you don't want us to contact your uncle or your grandparents?»

She shook her head slightly. «No, I don't want you to. I'm going to see them in person, but I think I'll go to Archer first.»

«Do you miss Afhel?»

She nodded. She was amazed that Soval had noticed. «We've been through a lot together in the last six years.» She smiled slightly. «We'll meet again, if I'll travel.»

«In this case...» Soval handed her a bag. «I think you might like to wear this when you go to find Archer. After all, you are half-human.»

T'Mir raised an eyebrow and opened the bag. She laughed. It was the uniform of Soval's crew. «Thanks,» she said. «I have the rank of lieutenant on this ship?»

«I believe you that you deserved them both. You're already a good engineer. You just have to study some more.»

§29ter

«Admiral Jonathan Archer?» T'Mir slipped into the crowd of people who attended his speech.

«That's me,» he said, with a trace of irony. There were many people who passed him and interrupted their conversation.

«Very nice speech,» she said. She waited a moment, then smiled. «Don't you recognize me?»

He stared blankly at her. «Excuse me,» he said, as a colleague stopped to ask him something. Shortly he returned to the girl. «Am I missing something?»

She smiled. «Yes. Elizabeth T'Mir Tucker IV. Now do you remember me?»

The quiet and relaxed expression suddenly vanished from Archer's face. «T'Mir?»

She nodded.

«T'Pol and Trip's daughter?»

«Yes, that's me.»

Archer smiled at her. «I...» He shook his head slightly. «It's... How to... oh wow... it's amazing... Come on, let's talk in my office, we'll have more privacy.»

On the way they didn't speak to each other, but many people tried to stop Archer. He was always friendly with everyone, but he made sure to dismiss them quickly. He beckoned her to enter, then he shut the door. «Are you really... the little T'Mir?»

«Yes, do you want DNA testing?» she laughed.

Archer shook his head and hugged her, squeezing her. «It's amazing... It was... how long ago? Seven years! T'Mir... I...»

She smiled. «I missed you so much.»

«But where were you? Where have you been all these years? You know... do you know how long we looked for you?»

«It's a long story. They kidnapped me because I'm a hybrid. I was interesting for them.»

Archer sighed. «You know... about your parents?»

T'Mir nodded and went to a bench. «May I sit down?»

«Of course. Do you want something to drink?» He thought they needed it.

The girl shook her head slightly. «I have also heard about Malcolm.»

He sighed.

«I've never forgotten.»

«Yeah, I remember you were in love with him.» Archer sat down beside her. «But who knows, maybe he'll pull through.»

«What? Soval told me that he received a fatal wound.»

«Yes, but he is in stasis.»

T'Mir smiled. «Well, better than my parents, then.»

«Have you met Soval, then?»

«It was he who saved me. He landed at the colony where I was held captive. I managed to break free and he brought me away.»

«Look at you. You became a lieutenant!» Archer reached his hand out to stroke her cheek, then withdrew it. «Sorry, I often used to do this when you were little.»

T'Mir laughed. «I don't mind, no problem.» She felt a light touch on her leg. She looked down and saw a cat sniffing her.

«Hey, hello beautiful.» She reached out to pet it. «But he's not Athos. He has different marks.»

«No, he is... Trip.»

«Trip?»

«Yes, I called him Trip. Athos died shortly after we got back to Earth.»

«Where are my parents buried?»

«In Florida,» Archer said. «Both. Your mother, too.»

T'Mir sighed and was silent for a moment. «I'm going visit them on the way to Italy.»

«Italy? Why go to Italy?»

«Soval teaches at Starfleet Acadamy in Milan. He asked me to follow him, and as I have been trained on his ship that will be an advantage.»

«I could put a good word for you here.»

T'Mir closed her eyes. «I don't think... I don't think I could do it, Jon. Here with you, but without Trip and T'Pol.»

He nodded. «Yes, I can imagine.» He put his hand on her shoulder. «I've never had a chance to tell you how sorry I am.»

She hugged him, holding on as tightly as possible. «I know. I know.»

She leaned her forehead against his shoulder, as she had done when she was little and Archer told her about their adventures. «I'll be back often to see you, I swear. Italy is near, unlike Triaxa!»

Jonathan laughed, stroking her back. «Who knows, maybe one day you'll have a ship all of your own.»

«Becoming a chief engineer would be enough for me.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	30. Chapter 30

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading. Thank you to everyone who's leaving feedback!

§30

«Pull the nose up,» ordered T'Mir.

«Don't give me orders, Vulcan,» said the Xindi reptilian sitting next to her.

«If you don't pull the nose up we'll end up crashing into the ground.»

«Quit breaking my balls.»

«Well, do as you wish, you're the one who's driving.» T'Mir fell back against the chair. Her former partner at the Academy had graduated from flight school and she had been assigned a new colleague. She would be graduating soon, after which she had thought she would leave as soon as possible. She was a space boomer, she suffered from earth-sickness.

The nose of the shuttle began to point almost vertically towards the ground.

T'Mir said nothing, she simply adopted the Vulcan smug look that she learned from her mother.

The fall began to speed up, an alarm indicating that the starboard engine had melted. The shuttle began to spin, eventually crashing into the ground. They could no longer see anything from the front viewport.

«What the hell are you playing at, Dofftzxp?» The instructor opened the door of the shuttle simulator. «You have crashed at four hundred kilometers per hour!» Then he pointed T'Mir. «And explain to me why you didn't stop to help him.»

«Did you hear how he spoke to me?» she said.

«Look, it's the fourth day that you two have worked together and you aren't making any progress. Now switch places. T'Mir will be driving. Dofftzxp, help her and don't cause her any trouble. I warn you, I will not accept another free fall.»

The girl gave him a hard stare, then they exchanged seats. The teacher closed the door. T'Mir took up the simulated shuttle. «I warn you, Dofftzxp. Right now I have a perfect record in Starfleet. I will not let you ruin it.»

The Xindi blew what seemed an insult and sat on his right.

«/You too are not particularly nice./» said T'Mir.

Dofftzxp looked surprised. «/You talk Xindi reptilian?/»

T'Mir took the shuttle even higher, then fell slowly to earth. «/I grew up on the Enterprise./»

The reptile read on the screen: «30 and 12 east, there is a peak.»

«OK, I'll avoid it.» The maneuver was done perfectly.

«/Archer's Enterprise?/»

T'Mir nodded. «/Hoshi Sato was the one who taught me the Xindi language, it was our secret code./»

«/The first human-Xindi interpreter./» he said.

She gracefully put the shuttle on the ground.

The instructor opened the door. «Good landing, T'Mir.»

The Xindi gave her a dark look, but said nothing.

§30bis

T'Mir took off her sweater and sat down at a table on the balcony.

«Do you feel so hot?» Soval asked, sitting in front of her.

«I'm right into the pon farr.» She took the plate of eggplant that was in the center table. «Bon appetite,» she said flatly, serving herself a large portion, and then she passed the plate to Soval.

«Is something wrong?» he asked.

«Yes. Sure. And you should know it well.» T'Mir nervously began to stir the eggplants with her fork.

«Something eludes me,» he said.

«I graduated from the Academy a year ago. You know?»

Soval began to eat quietly. «It seems to me that you wanted to throw a party for which I gave you some help.»

T'Mir slammed the fork on the table. «You think I'm an idiot human who thinks only about clothes and parties?»

Soval sighed heavily. He did so rarely, only when it was really necessary. «Explain, please.»

«I heard of your project. What you got to do with the Temporal Cold War. In short, the Verne project.»

Soval continued to eat quietly. «From whom did you hear that?»

«Your employee Tevel becomes very talkative in bed, you know?»

Soval closed his eyes. T'Mir's previous pon farr had not worried him. In the four years they had lived in close proximity, T'Mir simply vanished for four nights every three months and returned quietly as if nothing had happened. Sometimes she was in the next room, or somewhere else around, but Soval had become accustomed and not worried about it.

Instead, the latest activation was disastrous.

On the first day he had been assaulted by words.

The second, physically.

He would have to talk to Tevel, however.

«The mission is still in doubt and certainly no one can speak about it.»

T'Mir took a slice of eggplant with her fingers and ate it. «Maybe Archer was right, I should be with him in San Francisco.»

«What difference would that make? You've spent every spare moment there. »

«^Ma va' a cagare.^» (Go to hell.) T'Mir had learned Italian so well - with the basics that Hoshi had given her as a child - that even now when she spoke in English and Vulcan she had an inflection of Milan. She got up and went to open the refrigerator.

Soval wondered what she was looking for, because the dinner had been served in full at the table. But he said nothing.

T'Mir took a flat container and returned to the table. She began to eat the dried beef directly from the container using her hands.

He thought she was doing it on purpose to irritate him, but being a good Vulcan he ignored it.

«I grew up on the Enterprise. I learned about the Temporal Cold War.»

«I do not know what you're talking about.»

T'Mir gave a bitter laugh. «I know you have contact with Daniels. I know a secret time agent Xindi will go back in time in another universe, to stop the birth of a Vulcan-Human, which should help end the war between Xindi and the Humans of that universe.»

Soval raised an eyebrow: up to that point she was entirely correct.

«It's funny that this hybrid will be called Lorian.» She slapped her palm on her chest. «The Vulcan name that I would have if I were a boy. Oddly, the name of my grandfather.»

He did not answer. Tevel would end his career as soon as T'Mir had just finished her outburst.

«You're making a selection for the pilots and I have not even been asked!»

«Have you finished?» Soval asked calmly.

T'Mir snorted. «You're an asshole.»

«Tevel should not talk about this.»

«Oh, no. No, do not even try to unload your guilt on Tevel. You do it too often.»

«I'm not unloading my alleged sins on Tevel,» he said. «The mission is still under investigation.»

«And why you did not think to tell me?»

«Why should I?»

T'Mir laughed and tossed the container on the table. «Maybe because you are sending back in time and into another universe a time agent to save my parents.»

«They're not your parents,» Soval said. «They are the parents of Lorian Tucker.»

T'Mir jumped up from the table. «^Vai a fare in culo.^» (Go fuck yourself.) She quickly picked up the sweater and ran out.

Soval sighed. It was very difficult to deal with a half human. Dealing with a half human and half Vulcan Tucker in her time of pon farr was virtually impossible.

T'Mir walked along the streets in the suburbs of Milan, near the Academy. She went to an open bar and sat at the counter.

«Hey T'Mir, going bad tonight?»

«Yes, a lot. Limoncello, please,» she said. The Andorian woman smiled at her and handed her a glass filled with yellow liquid. T'Mir quickly swallowed it, feeling the scent of lemons from Sicily and alcohol that burned her throat. «Another one, please.»

«Are you sure you can hold so much alcohol?» asked the bartender.

«You're right,» she said. She began to drink more slowly. «Explain why you traveled all those light years from Andoria to here just to be a bartender.»

«I like this place and this work,» she smiled.

«If you'll drink a third I'll buy it.»

T'Mir turned and saw a tall, broad-shouldered, humanoid with dark beard and mustache. «A Mr. Klingon.» she said. Alcohol was already beginning to effect her.

His face was smooth because Phlox, years before, to save the lives of Klingon, had created a vaccine that had the "light" side effect of clearing the front ridges.

«A lady Vulcan.» he said.

The girl smiled. «I'm half-terran.» She finished the limoncello. «Go with the third! It is offered by... What's your name?»

From then on, T'Mir didn't remember much of anything.

She had vague memories of being out of the bar after some more drinks, with the Klingon, who had told her he was an interpreter.

A Klingon interpreter? Bah.

She awoke at dawn. She felt pain throughout her body and the grass full of dew had wet clothes that he probably had put back on her. She sat trying to figure out if she had something broken. She barely suppressed a scream when she felt a sharp pain in her left shoulder. She withdrew her hand when she noticed it was stained with blood.

«^Fanculo...^» (Fuck) she whispered.

She stood up abruptly. The streets were deserted at dawn. She walked leaning on the walls until she came to her home, then went into the house trying not to make a noise. She did not want to see Soval. Quickly she slipped into the shower, trying to soothe sore muscles.

-At least I'll have three months of peace.- she thought.

She looked in the mirror. «^Porca merda!^» (Fucking shit!) she cried when she saw a bluish tattoo behind her left shoulder. «That son of a Klingon... "Ek-'wak puksu - warrior forever"... What an asshole,» she laughed. But the shoulder did not hurt because of the tattoo. It seemed as if it were dislocated.

«T'Mir?»

She raised her eyes when she heard Soval's voice behind the door.

«What the fuck do you want?»

«Can we talk for a minute?»

«No," she said»

«How soon can I have your attention?»

T'Mir began to get dressed, trying to hide the bruises. «In two, three hundred years...»

«It is about Verne.»

T'Mir quickly slipped into a suit and combed her wet hair with her fingers so that it covered, at least in part, the bruises on her face. She opened the door. «You want to talk to me *now* of Verne?»

«What happened to you?» asked Soval.

T'Mir left the room as he had done, ignoring the question. She slipped into the kitchen and pressed the button on the vending machine. «Milk. Warm. With cocoa, pollen, sugar, meritene.» She waited until the cup was full, then picked up a box of biscuits and sat at the table. «Well?»

Soval stood in front of her. He was always amazed what the small T'Mir could eat for breakfast.

«I have not talked about Verne because I think it would be doubly painful for you to lose your parents again.»

T'Mir dipped a rice biscuit in milk. «The pilot of Verne should not save them?»

«Yes, but he absolutely must return to this universe, if he survives. And this is the other point.»

«A suicide mission?»

«Something like that.»

«Why?» T'Mir stood up and took some slices of bread, butter and a jar of jam from the fridge.

«Because it is unlikely to be possible to deal with the Xindi. Then it will be necessary to explode the ship.»

T'Mir sat down at the table and began to spread plenty of butter on bread. Soval had once told her such an abundant breakfast took away her appetite for lunch. For revenge she had begun to eat biscuits. «There are ways to blow up the ship without exploding yourself.»

«Not with the Xindi and not using a bomb that is not apparent to their detectors. We need to use a Garth bomb.»

«What's that?» Asked T'Mir.

«A miniature V bomb.»

She sighed. «Miniaturized? Tell me, which century did your minions get that from?»

«You don't need to know. Garth will be a Starfleet captain. He'll be exiled to Elba II for mental problems. There he will invent an explosive so powerful that it needs just a speck to blow up the mass equivalent of a person. For the Xindi ship it just needs a cubic centimeter, plus, of course, part of the trigger. Tevel thought of incorporating a mini stun grenade, so that anyone within its range of action doesn't feel pain during the detonation.»

T'Mir finished drinking the milk. «So the goal is to get on the ship, trigger the V bomb and blow oneself up.»

«The aim would be try to negotiate with the Xindi.»

«Have they already left?»

Soval nodded. «Yes, but their technology and interuniversal time travel is not as advanced as ours. Daniels has calculated with his counterpart of the other universe that we will have a head start, if we leave within a week.»

Yes, the problem was in their universe, and then it was their task to fix it.

«When I read your profile, tonight...» Soval hesitated a moment. «I know you were right yesterday when you said you'd be selected.»

T'Mir raised an eyebrow.

«You know the Enterprise well and you are motivated for this mission. You can pilot and you also know the Xindi reptilian language.» He paused for a moment. «And last but not least, you know the captain of that mission.»

«Do I know him?»

«Dofftzxp. You have made a flight course at the Academy.»

«^Quel figlio di puttana...^» (That son of a bitch) she whispered in Italian. «I must go myself, then.»

«T'Mir, you may die during the mission. And your involvement with commander Tucker and T'Pol could get in the way.»

«"Involvement"?»

He called being their daughter an 'involvement'?

«And also the V bomb must be inserted under the skin, to go unnoticed by the detectors.»

T'Mir sighed. She had heard that other hybrids were born, even from parents that were Vulcans and humans, and they didn't have the same problems she had with anesthetics. «But...» She got up and ran to rummage through the clothes she had worn the night before. A vague memory of something the Klingon had said to her was resurfacing in her memory.

«You want to try a bit?» And he had put a white tablet in her mouth. «Keep this one for tomorrow» he had told her, shoving another one in a pocket. At that point she vaguely remembered she had felt no more pain. She was dazed, drunk worse than from alcohol.

«What's that?» asked Soval, reaching for it.

T'Mir shook her head. «I don't know, but it has removed the pain.»

The Vulcan sighed slightly. «Let's have Dr Luzzi analyze it.»

They went to the academy medical lab.

«What is wrong?» asked the doctor when she saw T'Mir enter.

«I need to know what is this,» she said, ignoring the question.

Luzzi took the pill from her hand and placed it under a microscope. «It's ecstasy. Where did you get? It's been illegal for centuries.»

Soval shook his head. «And you've taken it without even knowing what it was?»

«Are you nuts?» demanded the doctor.

«It's his fault,» T'Mir said elusively, indicating Soval. «What in ecstasy could be an anesthetic for me?»

The doctor got up from the microscope and took a tricorder. «Probably the same formula. The one that ruined a good handful of neurons. You must not take again it.»

«Then you have to find another way to slip the Garth bomb in me.»

«You're crazy!» Soval shook his head. «I won't send T'Pol's daughter to the slaughter!»

T'Mir turned to the doctor. «How deep is to be stuck?»

«Just under the skin.»

«Then it's simple.» She raised her left arm and pointed to the scar. «I got this when I was a kid, breaking my arm. You have to re-open it to take away the trigger that causes me a lot of problems. When you remove it, you can put in me that.»

Luzzi sighed and checked her arm. «The activator is much deeper, wrapped around a nerve. It's a risky operation without anesthetic.»

«And we can't wait too long for the healing of a scar so deep.» Soval shook his head. «No, T'Mir, I'll have to choose another pilot.»

«^Ma allora sei proprio stronzo!^» (You are a piece of shit!) She said. «Doctor, put that device under my skin. I'll think about the activator later.»

«Maybe you did not understand,» she said. «This mission does not include any *later*.»

«Maybe, maybe not,» T'Mir said. «If I can meet my parents, with them maybe I'll have the courage to take it off. When I broke my arm, T'Pol's neuropressure helped me a lot with the pain. And if I reopen my arm I can remove the bomb while I'm on the Xindi ship.»

The three looked at each other in silence for a moment.

«Okay,» said Soval finally. «Let's do this madness.»

§30ter

«Let's recap,» Soval said as they went to the launch hangar. «We are in front of the fracture. As soon as it opens, you have to take the Verne through. You will have to navigate the route to intercept Enterprise at warp 7. Be careful with the Xindi. That place, at the time, is full of people that hate us.»

T'Mir nodded. «I do not remember a thing.»

At these words, Soval had to suppress a slight wave of panic. «What?»

«Have you told me this plan eight thousand five hundred forty seven or eight thousand five hundred forty eight times?»

«I do not think this is time for jokes,» he said. «I'm sending you to die and I do not like that.»

«You'll see who will survive.»

«I hope so. In this case, as soon as Daniels gives me the okay, I will contact you.»

She nodded.

«Remember the First Time Directive. You are on a mission.»

At that point T'Mir took the handle of the Verne's entry hatch and closed it abruptly, almost in Soval's face. She looked out the porthole and gave him a quick wave with her hand. Then she took her place at the helm. «Eight thousand five hundred forty nine,» she said.

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	31. Chapter 31

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: These parts are from my 1st story, please go to Chapter #36 if you do not wish to read them again.

§31

For a few brief moments everything was peaceful. It seemed they could travel in the Expanse, at least for a few hours, without encountering any major problems.

There was a sense of subdued panic, though. «No problem? And now what are we supposed to do?»

The atmosphere was tense. It had been months since things had been so calm and everyone expected that the temporary peace would be shattered at any moment. It was all too quiet.

Then, finally, Lieutenant Malcolm Reed broke the deadlock of quiet stillness. «Captain! A ship is coming out of warp, right in front of us.»

A small gold cylinder appeared preceded by a flash of bluish lightning. The shuttle was slewed sideways and following an uneven trajectory.

«They're firing,» continued Malcolm.

«Polarize the hull plating.» Captain Archer leaned slightly forward in his chair, watching the unknown shuttle on the screen, which showed a yellowish beam fired perpendicular to the route of Enterprise. «But who is it firing at?»

The tactical officer shook his head. «There are no other vessels in sight.»

Another beam left the shuttle, passing a hundred of kilometers below the hull of Enterprise.

Archer turned to his science officer. «T'Pol, do you recognize the ship?»

The Vulcan shook her head slightly.

«It's shooting at us,» said Reed.

This time the yellow ray brushed a warp nacelle.

«They haven't got a very good aim,» Archer noted. He turned to Hoshi. «Hail them.»

«They're firing at random,» Reed noted then, his low voice barely audible.

«Are there signs of life on board?» asked Archer.

T'Pol briefly checked her display. «I cannot read it,» she said.

After a few seconds she added «Yes... a lifesign.»

She looked up at the captain. «It's human.»

«Human?» Jonathan's voice was incredulous. «How could there be a man out there?»

«No, I must correct myself.» she said. «It's ... vulcan.»

Archer sighed. «I can see why it's navigating that way.» It was probably due to the amount of trellium-D spread in the Expanse: the Vulcan on board must be crazy, like the ones on the Seleya.

T'Pol checked the sensors again. «Captain, I have conflicting readings, now indicating a human lifesign again.»

«Make up your mind, Subcommander,» he said.

«They're answering the hail,» Hoshi said.

«On screen,» said the captain. The image of the golden shuttle lost against the black sky was replaced by the one of its interior. In the foreground appeared a console, behind which an empty chair moved.

«This is Captain Jonathan Archer of the starship Enterprise. We ask you to identify yourself and disable your weapons.»

A hand appeared on the console. «Thanks the heavens.»

The officers on the bridge of Enterprise looked at the young woman who appeared on the screen. She had short hair, a little longer than the Vulcan standard, but combed much more messily, and from the blacks tufts stood unequivocally two pointed ears. «I am T'Mir, the captain of the shuttle Verne,» she smiled. «Thank goodness you've received my SOS!»

«We haven't received any SOS,» Jonathan said, «and if you don't disable your weapons we will be forced to fire back!»

«Captain Archer, unfortunately, navigation systems and weapons controls are down.» She briefly checked her instruments. «Am I shooting?»

Archer let out a slight sigh and looked at Reed who replied, «She's shooting without aiming, and the intensity does not seem dangerous with the hull polarized. Maybe even without them.»

The captain turned back to the woman on the screen, who was working frantically at the console. «You're shooting in all directions at low intensity.»

The woman sighed. «Shit,» she said suddenly, slamming her hand on the console. «Did that stop it?»

Archer shook his head. «No.»

T'Mir gave another blow to the console, then she vanished under it again.

«Captain,» T'Pol called. «The life support of the shuttle is seriously damaged and so is the navigation system. She's got no more than an hour of air.»

«Captain T'Mir. Listen to me.»

The woman appeared in the visual field, showing only the yellow jacket of her uniform. «Yes?»

«Your life support is faulty.»

«I wonder what's not damaged,» she said, using her elbow to push aside a piece of cable that had just fallen on the helm.

«I'd like to board your ship, but I cannot do it safely if your ship continues to shoot at random.»

T'Mir sat down on the chair. «Can you shoot my phaser and disable it?»

Malcolm nodded. «Yes, her shields are damaged.»

«Those too!» said T'Mir, typing frantically on the console.

«Hold on to something,» Archer said. «We're going to shoot.»

The red beam from Enterprise hit the shuttle's hull precisely.

T'Mir lost her grip on the chair and fell out of sight.

«Captain T'Mir?» called Archer.

«Weapons out of order, sir,» the tactical officer communicated.

«Captain, our strike has further damaged the life support of Verne,» T'Pol announced. «She has eighteen minutes of air left.»

Archer nodded. «Captain T'Mir?» He called again, «You okay?»

«I think I've stabilized my trajectory,» the Vulcan communicated, not yet returning to view.

Malcolm nodded. «The Verne has a more regular course.»

T'Mir reappeared over the console, a wound on her temple: red blood poured from the cut. «How am I going?»

«Much better...» Archer said, slowly, staring at the blood. «You... you have less than eighteen minutes of air. If you place the shuttle under Enterprise, we can dock with you.»

«I'm more than willing to try,» she said, «if the Verne will cooperate...»

«Forgive my curiosity, but for security reasons we must know. From your name and... ears, we thought that you were Vulcan.»

T'Mir briefly looked up to the fifteen inch screen where the Archer's image appeared. «Yes.»

«But your blood is red.»

The woman put her hand to her temple. «-Caz...-» she whispered, then she brought her attention back to the console. «I'm only half-Vulcan, Captain. For the other half, I'm Human.»

Archer turned to T'Pol with a malicious grin, to which she merely raised an eyebrow. «I did not think Vulcans and Humans were already... crossed.»

T'Mir kept her attention on the controls, sliding her hand on the console. «No, indeed they aren't.» She looked up and smiled at the captain. Right: she smiled too much to have green blood. «The quantum dating on Verne will confirm that I and this jalopy come from the future...,» she paused, «...of another universe.»

Jonathan could not help but cringe and smile at the same time. Another time agent, this one even more outlandish than Daniels. But it would be amusing to see T'Pol try to explain it.

«Another universe?»

T'Mir nodded and then moved her eyes to the front viewport. «I'd love to continue to discuss these niceties, Captain Archer. Can we do that after docking? I'm almost under Enterprise.»

«Okay. Archer out.» He motioned to Malcolm to follow him and together they went down to the hangar.

The golden shuttle Verne was lying on the closed door. They could now clearly see the extensive damage. It was a miracle that there wasn't a breach in the hull. Reed looked at the sensor in his left hand while his right hand held a phaser. «Why isn't she already out?»

«Maybe she's waiting for my permission.» Archer pulled his communicator out of the pocket on his sleeve. «Captain T'Mir, you can come out now,» he said.

«I'm trying!»

He heard the shrill voice of the vulcan.

«But this damn door is jammed!»

«Bad language, for a vulcan captain,» said Malcolm.

«Only half vulcan,» Jonathan pointed out, «and from another universe.»

Reed looked closely at the door. «It looks like it has melted.»

«T'Mir, listen to me,» Archer said. «Move away from the door. We will try to open it with a phaser.»

Malcolm knew that was a job for him. He aimed at the opening and less than a minute later, the door fell open and landed on the floor of Enterprise. A moment later, T'Mir's smiling face appeared in the doorway. «Thanks, guys,» she said, jumping out, «this shuttle was becoming a death trap.»

§31bis

T'Mir put her elbow on the ledge of the window at the front of the decontamination chamber and rested her chin on her hand.

Dr. Phlox's smile between the ridges greeted the young woman. «So you're the vulcan-human from the future of another universe?»

She smiled. «Small town gossip spreads like wildfire...» she said. «Are you very open-minded or do you simply accept the fact until you have evidence?»

Phlox smiled. «You're clean. You may exit the decontamination chamber, so I can cure the wound on your temple.» When he was face to face with the girl, Phlox continued: «And the cut on your hand; do you have other injuries?»

«I've been tossed around a bit, but I don't think I've got anything broken.» She sat on the black ergonomic biobed. «I guess what you find on me will remain confidential. Doctor-patient confidentiality?»

Phlox looked up from the medical tricorder in his hand. «Unless it is a danger to the crew.»

The Vulcan sighed. «It won't be, but could I ask you to inform only Captain Archer?»

§31ter

«Are you already missing the Verne?»

Hearing Archer's voice, T'Mir looked out the door. «No, I'm just retrieving my clothes.»

Archer pointed to the shuttle. «In this state I think it's difficult to get this flying quickly, especially since we can't afford to give you useful spare parts, here in the Expanse.»

The woman sighed. «It's very bad, isn't it?»

Jonathan went into the shuttle, while T'Mir was taking some clothes from a locker at the foot of what must be her bed. «Yes, but if we come across a planet where we can get some spare parts, I have a couple of men who can work miracles.»

She smiled. «Thanks.»

«In the meantime, you'll be our guest here on Enterprise,» Archer smiled at her. «What are you doing in the Expanse, by the way?»

«An experimental flight, between two universes and two different times.»

Jonathan felt that he should be skeptical, but what the girl was saying fascinated him. «I hope you are not in a hurry to resume the mission.»

T'Mir shook her head. «If I could go back in the Verne... I don't think I would.»

«Who attacked you?»

«Xindi reptilians,» she said, «and I also have been caught in a lot of anomalies. I fused the warp drive just a moment before crossing your path.» She held up a blue dress, it looked to be an XS size, which wouldn't leave too much to the imagination even if worn by the tiny Vulcan. «I bought this in Paris. Damn.» She put her hand into a hole in the fabric. «I burnt a lot of stuff.»

Archer smiled, imagining her in that dress. «Don't tell me you wear those clothes in your future Starfleet.»

T'Mir laughed. «Yes, but only to make Soval angry.»

«The ambassador Soval?»

«Admiral,» she said. «In my universe he's an admiral. He gave me this mission and I don't think he will be very happy when he sees what I've done to the Verne.» She smiled. «Yay, this is safe!» She showed him a black T-shirt with a printed inscription in white.

«Logic is my poetry:

2 b V - 2 b

This is a tautology.»

Archer looked at her quizzically.

«'To be or not to be.' I was first in my Logic class.»

He laughed. «I don't doubt it.»

Phlox's voice on the intercom interrupted their dialogue. «Phlox to Captain Archer. Can you come to sickbay?»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	32. Chapter 32

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading. Thank you to everyone who's leaving feedback!

§32

She had been given small quarters with no view of open space, but it was much more comfortable than her sleeping berth on the Verne. She took a shower and then put on a clean uniform that had miraculously escaped the burns.

«Come in,» she said, when she heard the bell.

Archer appeared in the doorway, holding a PADD. «Hello,» he said.

She turned, a bit surprised. «Hello.»

«May I come in?»

«Of course, this is your ship.»

Jonathan let the door shut behind him. He raised the PADD. «Phlox informed me.»

T'Mir smiled nervously.

«It's a bit... hard to digest, I mean... get used to it.» He moved the PADD, as if it served to support the shocking information he had just received. «Certainly it is a... good evidence of what you claim.»

She nodded. «I know. I just told you the truth.»

The captain nodded. «Then I think I should say... welcome back.»

T'Mir smiled and ran to hug him. «Thank you... I've missed you!» She held the hug for a long time. Then she withdrew a step. «Can I visit the bridge?»

He laughed, «Of course. Although I thought your first destination would be somewhere else.» He held out his arm and she took it. «These are the uniforms of the future of your universe?»

She nodded. «I saved a few clothes... those fucking Xindi have burned almost all my dresses in the attack.»

«I don't think that was their primary intent.» The turbo-lift opened, giving access to the bridge. «I guess I should introduce you,» Archer said, «you already know our tactical officer, Lieutenant Malcolm Reed.»

T'Mir smiled.

«At the helm we have Travis Mayweather.»

«Captain T'Mir,» greeted Travis.

«Oh, just T'Mir. On this ship I'm just a guest.»

«And my science officer, T'Pol.»

T'Mir gave her an almost shy smile, raising her hand in the Vulcan salute. T'Pol just nodded. The young woman lowered her hand and sighed slightly.

«At this moment we haven't Hoshi Sato on the bridge, our communications officer, she has just finished her shift and gone to the mess hall.»

T'Mir shifted her gaze from T'Pol to Archer. «I think... I'll do the same. The emergency rations of the Verne were sh... were very bad.»

§32bis

The mess hall was almost empty, but all the people present had the blue uniform of Enterprise. T'Mir was uncomfortable, her uniform stood out as the yellow sun in the blue sky. If her clothes had not burned, she could have at least been in civilian clothes, but the ones that were saved were not exactly suited to her first ride on Enterprise.

She opened a serving compartment and pulled out a plate of pasta with bacon and rosemary sauce, then she went straight to a table next to the door. When Hoshi looked up and smiled, T'Mir gave her the Vulcan salute. «-Dif-tor heh smusma.-» (Live long and prosper.)

The young woman smiled and returned the greeting.

«-Se el-shi?-» (Is this seat free?)

«-Ah. Sanosh, Hoshi Sato.-» (Yes, how do you do? I'm Hoshi Sato.)

«-Sanosh. T'Mir.-» The Vulcan sat next to the interpreter. «You speak Vulcan very well, Hoshi.»

«-Shaya-tonat.-» (Thanks) Hoshi looked curiously at the Vulcan. «You haven't a Vulcan inflection. Not even American.» She gave a moment to think and then said: «It seems almost... Italian.»

«^Hai un orecchio incredibile, Hoshi.^» T'Mir said, in Italian. (You're so talented in languages!)

She smiled. «Do you speak Italian fluently?»

«Almost better than the Vulcan and English, by now. I spent the last four years in Italy. I pick up inflections of the place very easily.»

«Where did you live?»

«I stayed at the Vulcan embassy, I studied at Starfleet in Milan.»

Hoshi smiled. «I was in Milan a few years ago... to study Italian. It is a beautiful city.»

«It's huge,» said T'Mir. «I struggled to get used to its chaos. I grew up on the En... on a big ship more or less like Enterprise. Eighty-four souls, counting the captain's cat.»

«Our captain has a dog.»

T'Mir looked at Hoshi slightly surprised, but she did not seem to notice. She pointed to the plate in front of T'Mir. «I thought you Vulcans do not eat meat.»

T'Mir nodded. «Yes, but I'm only half Vulcan.»

«That's right, I've almost forgot. You come from the future of another universe.»

The Vulcan smiled: «Infinite diversity in infinite combinations.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	33. Chapter 33

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading. Thank you to everyone who's leaving feedback!

§33

After getting out of the shower, T'Mir dug into a small pile of clothes. She should go back to Milan and Paris to replace the ones that were lost. As long as she was able to go home. She put on a turquoise dress, which had gold embroidery on the lapel. She sat on the floor cross-legged, closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

Her mother taught her to meditate.

This way, she could balance her two sides, the Vulcan and Human, that very often, as on that day, rose to the surface and, furiously elbowing, prevailed over the other. After the attack, she ran away at warp speed, the engines screaming mercy; the strong emotions raised when she was on that ship were still unleashed in her, she really needed to go to her favourite place, in meditation.

A beach. The sand was white, the sea as turquoise as her clothing.

There was also a palm tree behind her.

All quiet, everything was perfect.

She opened her eyes slowly. She felt much better. She stood up and stretched.

«It's time,» she whispered. She emerged from her quarters and walked slowly, without any doubt, through the corridors of grey metal, the neon lighting. She rang the doorbell and went in when she heard the permission to enter.

«Am I disturbing you?»

T'Pol raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing the girl from head to foot. «No.»

«We can... I was wondering if we can speak for a few minutes,» said T'Mir, in Vulcan.

The science officer stared for a few moments at the young woman. She did not like her. She gave her a sense of discomfort, as when she was in the presence of Tolaris, and among all the emotions that she had been able to experience, she didn't like that at all. T'Pol blinked rapidly. «I was instructed to speak English on this voyage and I'd appreciate it if you'd respect that.»

T'Mir nodded. «Okay... May I...?»

«It would be better to go to the mess hall, where there are chairs, here I have no room for you to have seat.»

«This is a thing I wish to discuss in private.» Her voice was soft, almost shy. «We can sit on the ground, as in meditation.» T'Mir lowered cross-legged and T'Pol sat down, reluctantly, in front of her.

«You think I'm a V'tosh ka'tur, right?» (Illogical Vulcan)

T'Pol raised an eyebrow. «I do not think it's important what I think of you. We are on the same ship, you need to repair yours, and we can live civilly until you can resume your journey.»

«Ignoring each other?» T'Mir shook her head. «It is an idea I don't like.»

«I see no reason...»

«I know. I would like to let you see it, but I do not want to force you.»

«Get to the point, *Captain*,» T'Pol stressed the girl's rank, as if to underline the distance between them.

«-Kash-nohv-.»

T'Pol stiffened suddenly, but tried not to show it. «I must ask you to leave.»

T'Mir sighed. «I was afraid you'd have this reaction. I'm really sorry. I... It is not a coincidence that my name is T'Mir. That of the first Vulcan on Earth.»

The woman stirred uneasily. «I still do not see your point.»

«I have been named after her. My father chose it.»

T'Pol shook her head slightly. -Father?...-

«But I know it's hard to convince you,» continued the girl, «and I'd rather you see it for yourself.»

«Captain, if you insist on this line I'll have to call security.»

T'Mir smiled sweetly. «Oh please... I know you can protect yourself. I ask only to put your fingers on my face for a meld. You'll initiate it, and you'll release when you want to. I must tell you something, but I'm not able to. If you see with your eyes...»

«I haven't the ability to meld and I cannot do it. I...»

«The Pa'nar syndrome is not really a disease, you will find out soon,» T'Mir said, «and in any case I'm half Terran, I can't be infected.»

T'Pol shook her head, she felt anger and fear emerge under her skin. She didn't like those feelings. «And you know these things because you come from the future of another universe?» There was skepticism in her voice.

«The mind meld is not a power. It's just a discipline.» T'Mir still waited a few seconds, under the gaze of T'Pol. Then she put her feet on the floor and got up, turning to leave.

«No,» T'Pol stopped her, «That will be agreeable.»

T'Mir looked slightly surprised. It was so strange that she had changed her mind, but it was better to take advantage of it. «You know how it works. And you know that you can stop whenever you want.»

T'Pol nodded. Slowly she raised her hand, still uncertain, undecided. She could still give a boot to this V'tosh ka'tur and run towards the bridge, hiding behind Malcolm Reed. But now her hand was resting on T'Mir's face and she heard her own voice saying the mantra for the mind meld. That idea of hiding behind Reed was really illogical.

When she opened her eyes, she was sitting at a table of Enterprise mess hall, reading the data on a PADD. Not surprising, after all, perfectly proper, quiet. She almost expected to see Tucker try in every way to make her smile.

«They're so good.»

She turned toward the voice, her eyes widening. There was a girl, no more than six years old, black hair and brown eyes, sitting next to her. She was eating strawberries. She had pointed ears.

T'Pol heard her own voice: «Yes, and they are very healthy.»

She got back analyzing the data on the PADD.

The child finished the strawberries and gave a slight smile to T'Pol. She nodded, «Come here.» She lifted the girl and took her in her lap. The girl gave her a kiss on the cheek and leaned her head on her shoulder. «M'aih, I love you.» (M'aih = mommy)

The Vulcan half closed her eyes, gently resting her cheek on the child's hair. Then she heard a voice from behind, a voice that she didn't have the time to recognize. She only heard, «Here are my women!»

T'Pol pulled back abruptly, moving away from T'Mir, and fell back on the floor. Her breathing was laboured.

«M'aih!» the girl cried out, leaning forward. «Are you okay?»

T'Pol looked up and recognized in T'Mir's eyes those of the vision. «W-why did you stop?»

«I didn't, you stopped...»

T'Pol stared at her for long. «What did you show me?»

The young woman helped her up and put her arm around her shoulders. «The future of another universe.»

She shook her head, «No. You're lying.»

T'Mir closed her eyes. «No... I would never do that. And I could not even; it can't be done in a mind meld.» She took her face gently in her hands. «Look and see yourself ... I have your eyes... and especially I have your ears.»

T'Pol stared at her. It was true. «You...»

T'Mir smiled and hugged her, them kissed her on the cheek. «M'aih, I missed you so much...»

The Vulcan stood there for a few seconds, and then placed her hands on the girl's shoulders. «I... I dreamed of you.»

«I know,» T'Mir showed no signs of loosing the hug. «You told me that when you were a little girl, sometimes you played, you dreamed of having a daughter.»

T'Pol shook her head slightly. «Not only those times. I dreamed of you... two days ago.»

The girl withdrew slightly. «It was when I left the interuniversal rift.»

The ship suddenly shifted beneath them. T'Pol hugged T'Mir tight to protect her, until Enterprise was stabilized.

«Is someone firing at us?»

«No, I don't think so.» T'Pol got up. «Wait here.» She left the room and ran to the bridge.

«An anomaly,» Archer said, «but fortunately small. Check to see if there are other bigger ones.»

T'Pol immediately resumed her post, replacing the science officer on duty. «I don't see any other anomalies.» She looked up from the sensor. «We're dropping out of warp.»

Jonathan pressed a button on the controls, «Archer to Engineering. What's going on down there?»

Chief Engineer Tucker's fast and slang voice said, «The anomaly has damaged some of the primary circuits. It'll take a while to fix 'em up, meanwhile we must remain at impulse.»

«Okay,» Archer sighed.

«Captain,» T'Mir's voice came unexpected on the bridge.

T'Pol turned to her, her glance more than eloquent, 'I told you stay in my quarters!'.

The hybrid deliberately ignored her, continuing to speak with Archer. «I have good experience on warp drive, Jon... ahem! Captain. With your permission, I'll go down to Engineering to help.»

Archer let out a knowing smile, that didn't go unnoticed to T'Pol. «Permission granted.»

The girl smiled, «Thank you!» She ran away.

While the captain turned toward the helm, T'Pol stared at him, thinking. She tried to remember if the voice she heard at the end of mind meld with T'Mir could have been...

«T'Pol?»

The Vulcan started.

«T'Pol, are you okay?»

«Yes, sir. There are no anomalies in sight, for now.»

Archer nodded, looking inquiringly at his first officer. T'Pol brought her attention to the sensors. Then looking up slightly, she stared again at the captain.

T'Mir hadn't her hands. They resembled, in miniature, Archer's hands and the way she had behaved with him on the bridge, calling him «Jon»... She shrugged off the idea: yes, T'Mir was the result of her union with a Human, but that was in the future of another universe.

§33bis

T'Mir stopped just outside the door of the engineering and took a deep breath. She ran a hand through her hair, trying to comb it somehow, and then straightened her uniform, making sure there was no fluff on it. She went straight in through the door. «Wow,» she said, «I love this place.»

Taking a secure grip on the ladder leading to the top of the warp drive, she looked over the bottom.

Commander Tucker was sitting with one leg bent, one elbow resting on the ground, his left hand in a tangle of wires and in the right hand he held a tool to fix them.

«Commander Tucker?» Her voice inflection seemed almost drunk and then she suddenly shut up.

Trip looked up and stared at her. «What are you doing here?»

«Captain Archer has asked me to come to here to help.» -^Che ballista!^- she thought to herself (^what a liar!^). «I'm pretty good with engines.»

Trip looked not too convinced. «We have very good mechanics here, and you're a guest. It would be rude to make you work.» That Vulcan must have been less than thirty years old, but Trip had never been able to tell the age of a Vulcan. And by the way, how old was T'Pol?

T'Mir smiled. The jealousy of certain males toward technology had always amazed her. No one could touch Archer's ship, or Tucker's engines. Soval got mad, of course in the Vulcan way, when she broke his communicator down in pieces. It was also true that she had broken several of Soval's communicators, while she was «exploring» them. She sat down next to him, opening a door. «Many cables are fused. To change them it'll take a long time, if one doesn't know how to crimp the wires as well as you do.»

Trip froze, then set the crimper down on the floor, staring at the visitor. «Don't you have to repair your own shuttle?»

T'Mir pulled out the wires. «I can't do it because the engine is completely fried. I'll need spare parts.» Then she took a damaged cable. «Test me. These cables have nothing to lose.»

«All right, as you want.»

«I have to pay for food.»

The engineer laughed. He thought himself to be the only one who used that idiom on Enterprise.

«Get me a cable. It's behind you.»

T'Mir turned and looked at several pieces of copper wire covered with black sheath. «Ten or thirteen?»

«Thirteen.»

The girl handed him the cable he had requested.

«You've a good eye.» Trip smiled. Yes, perhaps he could bear her hands in his engine, just to repair the primary circuits. Only that, no more. She better keep her hands far away from his injectors...

T'Mir smiled and retrieved a pair of thick cutters with sheathed handles. «I grew up in a place like this.» she said, as she began to cut the melted wires. She picked up a cable. «Do you use electric or laser welding?»

«Laser,» Trip handed her a welder, «I guess there is no need to warn you to keep your hands away from its ray.»

T'Mir just smiled and held up the right sleeve of her uniform, showing the diagonal line of a scar across her wrist. It looked pretty old, she should have gotten it several years earlier.

«Ouch. It must have been painful.»

«I saw the stars and I was not close to a porthole.»

The commander laughed, «You have too much of a sense of humour to be a Vulcan. It must be true that you're half-Human.»

T'Mir put down the welder, «Small town...» she said.

«...gossip spreads like wildfire.» Trip completed. He passed her a crimper. «Do you mind?»

«No, indeed, it's what I most like to do.»

«How quick is your ship?» he asked, while welding a cable.

«Warp seven.»

«Seven, wow,» said Tucker, «would you let me take a look at the engines?»

«Suit yourself, if you can still find something good.» T'Mir thought that if she returned home after showing the shuttle to a human, Soval would have cut her into pieces. But he would have done it with all his vulcan phlegm.

«What technology do you have installed?»

T'Mir closed the crimper to attach the plug, placing the cable in the compartment and connecting it to the outlet. «Well... it had warp and impulse drives... it had a phase cannon, a remote bioscanner... it had a life support replication of air and water.»

Trip looked at her, «Had?»

«Everything went down or exploded. It seems that the only thing left is the communications system.»

«What did you do for the food?»

«All packaged crap. My mission was to last only seven or eight days.»

Tucker smiled. «The captain told me that it is a test flight. Maybe you should have found a place outside the Delphic Expanse. You have been attacked by the Xindi, and caught a number of anomalies.»

«Yes, but the anomalies just tossed me a bit here and there. Xindi weapons burnt almost all my clothes, and now I can only use this uniform...» She was almost sadder for the clothes than for the Verne. But, in fact, the clothes were hers, the Verne Soval's. Well, he would put the shuttle with the communicators she broke.

«Is that the uniform of the future?» asked Tucker.

«Something like that.»

Trip looked down at the pile of cables that T'Mir was arranging. She had worked very fast, not as fast as him, but definitely faster than most of the other engineers who were on board. He stared at T'Mir's hands soldering and crimping the cables. There was something wrong.

T'Mir realized he was staring at her, turned and smiled at him. «Commander? Am I distracting you?»

«No... it's just that...»

«It's the pointy ears?»

Trip's eyes widened, looking at her. «How?»

«They're sexy, aren't they?»

He jumped. «Eeeeh?»

T'Mir laughed. «No, seriously, am I not doing a good job?»

Trip looked down again on the girl's hands. «No, indeed. Except that... you use very good technique, which... I thought I had invented it myself.»

They heard footsteps on the stairs, and soon afterwards T'Pol appeared. «Commander Tucker, the captain sent me here to...» She stopped, staring T'Mir and Trip both sitting with one leg bent vertically, the other on the ground with an elbow and the hands that expertly crimped cables.

Tucker, at the sudden silence, looked up at her. «Subcommander, you ok? You seem pale...»

T'Mir looked at her. «-M'aih?-»

T'Pol shifted her gaze on T'Mir. It was the moment of breaking a rule and taking advantage of a thing that Trip couldn't do. «- Es tu sa-mekh?-» she asked in Vulcan to T'Mir. Trip was hopeless at languages and T'Pol, at the beginning of the mission, had been specifically requested to speak in English.

T'Mir glanced at Tucker. «-Uf tu ken-tor?-»

«-Vesh' svi' kash-nohv pra'la?-»

«-Ah.-» replied the young woman.

Trip looked at them questioningly. «Why have I the distinct feeling that you're talkin' about me?»

T'Mir turned to him: «Because we *are* talking about you.» Then she turned back to T'Pol, «-Ra-i?-»

Tucker looked at them both with his mouth open. «And so brazenly?»

«-Ma ka el'ru.-» said T'Pol. «-Var-tor?-»

«-Glazhau uf taran.-»

«Tell him, that's all,» T'Pol concluded in English.

«-Olozhikaik!-» T'Mir said, laughing.

«Tell me what?» Trip asked, feeling slightly exasperated: two vulcans within two meters of him!

T'Mir turned to him. «I am a Vuhlkansu-komihn. Half vulcan, half human.»

He shrugged. «Yes, I know. But...?»

The girl leaned forward and hugged him. Trip, by instinct, drew back slightly, but she kept her grip. «I love you, Daddy,» she whispered. This time Tucker pushed harder, pulling him from the girl's hug and stood up abruptly. «What?» He stumbled in his own footsteps and fell back, tumbling off the side of the warp drive.

«Trip!» T'Mir and T'Pol called out together.

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	34. Chapter 34

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§34

«Here you are!» Phlox said, after pushing the hypospray against Trip's neck. «Is that better?»

«It still hurts!» cried Tucker.

«Come on, do not be a baby. As you humans say, 'no pain, no gain'. Well, I don't really understand this saying, given that an injury is still an injury.» He turned to the door through which T'Mir and T'Pol were entering. «Oh, here are your women! I will give you some privacy.»

Trip looked up to heaven. 'My women...' Phlox had known it before him.

T'Mir smiled and sat on the biobed next to him, not too close, she didn't want to take his breathe away. «How are you?»

«I'm...» he started, but stopped. After a pause, he said: «I don't know.»

«You don't know?» T'Pol raised an eyebrow.

«I mean the injury,» T'Mir stressed.

«Oh, that... Phlox gave me...» He pointed to his neck. He shook his head and stared at the young woman. «But were you serious?»

T'Mir tilted her head, smiling. «Didn't Phlox show you my DNA analysis?»

«Yes, but...» He looked at T'Pol, who of course wasn't offering him the slightest help. Yeah, he would find more support from... his daughter. «I understand why you crimp cables the same way I do.» he said, laughing.

T'Mir grinned. «All I know about the warp engines I learned from you.»

«Or better,» interjected T'Pol, «from Commander Tucker in another universe.»

Trip glanced sideways at the vulcan, but T'Mir gave voice to his thoughts: «How to kill the moment.»

«However, it's evidently the future of another universe.»

«M'aih, come on, I'm here now!» T'Mir stopped her. «However, we are genetically related.»

Trip could swear that he saw the shadow of a half-smile on T'Pol's face. He was going to make a joke about it, but Archer came into sickbay at that moment.

«How are you?» he asked.

«I'm okay, Captain. I'm going to get back to work.»

«Wait,» Jonathan put his hand on his shoulder to stop him, «Phlox told me that you felt dizzy.»

«Yes, but...»

«It was my fault,» T'Mir said, then added, whispering, «He has a thing for pointy ears...»

Tucker whirled toward her: «Quit that!»

T'Mir smiled.

«I want you to rest for a while,» Archer remarked, «that's an order.»

Trip sighed.

«I can finish the work on the wires, it won't take too much,» T'Mir proposed.

«I'll help you,» T'Pol said.

«Okay, go. We have to go to warp as soon as possible.» As the two Vulcans left sickbay, Archer looked back at his chief engineer. «T'Pol told me they were talking to you and you lost your balance.»

Tucker shrugged, nodding. «Yes, that was it.»

«Trip, you wouldn't fall from the top of a warp drive just for a chat.» He clapped a hand on his shoulder. «Stay in the sickbay, I think the two vulcans can finish the job. T'Pol will check that T'Mir does everything correctly.»

Tucker shrugged. «It wouldn't be a problem.»

«Wouldn't it?»

«No...» Could he tell that? Of course. «...She is a genius in wiring. She crimps like a goddess.»

Archer laughed as he left the sickbay. «She must have had a good teacher.» He took a few steps in the hall when he noticed an acceleration. We are going to warp, he thought. «A very good teacher,» he corrected himself.

§34bis

«Come in,» T'Pol said when she heard the doorbell. She was sitting on the floor, in pajamas, in the meditation position.

Trip came in slowly, dressed in civilian clothes. «Am I disturb you? You are meditating?»

«No. I've just finished.» She stood up to blow out the candles. «How are you?»

«Phlox said I'm fine. T'Mir asked me to come here...»

«Yes, I know. She just called to say she'll be a few minutes late. She can't find something.»

«What?»

T'Pol shook her head slightly. «I don't know.» She pointed to the bed. «Have a seat, please.»

«What do you think?»

«About what?»

«T'Mir.»

T'Pol take long minute to respond. «I don't know what to think yet.»

«From the future of another universe,» Trip laughed, «this is crazy.»

«There are several hypotheses that suggest that our universe is not the only one, but only a part of a larger multiverse.»

He shrugged. «But T'Mir is not a theory.»

T'Pol sat down beside him. «I think what she says is true.»

Tucker stared at her for a while. «Really?»

«Yes. It is a possibility.»

«She could also come from the future of *this* universe.»

T'Pol raised an eyebrow. «There is no reason for her to lie about this.»

«Maybe it's to do as little as possible to pollute the timeline. Do you remember what the captain said about his meeting with Daniels?» He sighed. «But... the girl... What do you think about her?»

She shrugged her shoulders slightly. «It's clear that she does not follow the Vulcan discipline.»

«She's nice» he said, smiling, «a little crazy and with great manual skill.» He looked at T'Pol. «I like her.»

The doorbell rang. «Come in,» T'Pol said, cutting off the conversation with Trip. He grinned - that was typical of her.

«Sorry I'm late,» T'Mir said, entering with a basket, «I couldn't find the checkered tablecloth.» She sat down and put on the ground a red cloth. «I could only find this one.»

Trip laughed. «A picnic on the floor of T'Pol's quarters?»

«Why not?» smiled the girl.

«Great!» Yeah, why not? Especially if their aim was to drive T'Pol crazy. Trip sat on the ground with his back against the bed. Then he turned to T'Pol. «Aren't you joining us?»

She sat down, unconvinced, in front of T'Mir. «A picnic?»

«In my universe we should have had a picnic, but we never managed it in time. I would like to correct at least part of that. Unfortunately I could not arrange very much.» She pulled out plates and cups, two bottles and a circular container. «Would you pour the drinks, daddy?»

Trip started.

«Sorry.» T'Mir said. «I... I just used it, but I believe that now it is better I use your nickname 'Trip', also to avoid questions from other crewmembers.»

«It's not that I mind it.» He poured iced tea for T'Pol and milk for himself and T'Mir, who handed him her glass. «But, you know... suddenly I found out I have a child and... this is not what happens every day. Especially if the child is... How old are you?»

«Twenty-six. I'll be born in two years.»

Trip turned to T'Pol: «This means that you'll have her... at what age?»

T'Pol gave him a condescending look.

«Why do you have this obsession with her age?» asked T'Mir.

«What do you mean with 'obsession'?»

«You keep trying to find out her age.»

Trip shook his head. «But that's not true!»

T'Mir looked at him knowing that was the exact opposite. «Well, I brought something that I know everyone loves.» She opened the container. «Pecan pie.»

«Ah, yes, T'Mir, I love you,» Trip leaned forward and kissed her on the temple.

She smiled. «I missed you so much...»

«What happened?» asked Trip.

«Well...» The Prime Temporal Directive was replicating like a tape in her mind, read with Soval's stern voice. «I...»

«#T'Mir, you must not say anything about your nature.#» Soval's voice was warning her.

«When...»

«#T'Mir, you are there for a mission.#'

«I mean...»

«#T'Mir, remember that interuniversal flights do not serve for the good of one...#»

«I...»

«#...But for the good of the many!#»

-^Ma vaffanculo! Sta' zitto, rompipalle!^- (^Got to hell! Shut up, you pain in the ass!^) «I was born and lived here on Enterprise, landing here and there on the explored planets, you taught me to work on engines and T'Pol taught me Vulcan discipline. When I was fourteen we had to get off to celebrate on a planet with a huge turquoise sea and green land... it looked a bit like Earth, but with much more water. And... our shuttlepod was gone, with you inside. I was found by Soval six years ago. The shuttlepod was found destroyed.»

Trip had a shiver of dread thinking that her daughter had been so close to Soval.

«So, no picnic.» T'Mir sighed and smiled. «But we can do it now.» She got up quickly and laid everything out.

«What did were we celebrating?»

T'Mir pushed the cloth into the basket. «Well...» She looked up at T'Pol. «You were going to give me a little sister.»

T'Pol felt her stomach twist. It must have been a wonderful universe until that point. «Where were you between the shuttlepod being destroyed and Soval finding you?» asked T'Pol.

«I am a rarity, even in my universe. Those people knocked down our shuttlepod to kidnap me.»

«Why?» asked Trip.

T'Mir shrugged. «Because I'm unique,» she smiled.

«You're not here by accident,» Trip said.

«No. Soval needed a pilot to test the Verne. I have been able to choose my destination. I wanted to see you.»

The intercom rang. «Archer to Tucker.»

He got up, slightly reluctantly, and he pressed the communication button. «Trip here.»

«I need you in the engineering.»

«Coming.» Trip smiled to the two women, «See you later.»

T'Mir leaned on her side, placing herself as when she was working on the engine.

«You learned that position from your father,» T'Pol ascertained.

T'Mir laughed. «Yes, I know. You didn't want me to sit like that.»

«You have back pain,» she said.

«Yes. I have never managed to hide anything to you,» she smiled, «but it is not due to the posture. I've taken quite a beating on the Verne.»

«It was dangerous to come to the Expanse. You should have chosen another place, another time.»

T'Mir shrugged. «I am here with you, I'm fine.»

«We can try to ask Dr. Phlox if he has any remedy for your back pain.»

The girl shook her head. «No, the Phlox of my universe and another dozen doctors have already tried everything. Anesthetics have no effect on me. Even those that will be found in the next thirty years.» She returned to sit straight. «If you want me to go back in my quarters, you can tell me.»

T'Pol shook her head slightly. «No. Have we ever tried Vulcan neuropressure?»

The girl smiled. «Yes, of course. It's the only thing that works a bit.»

She nodded. «So it's logical. Lie down; it will do well against back pain.»

«Aren't you tired?»

«Do not worry. With Commander Tucker I do three sessions a week.»

T'Mir laid prone on the bed. «I know. I thanked Phlox more than once, for having persuaded you two to do it.»

T'Pol pushed gently, touching the sides of her daughter's the spine. «Why?»

She laughed lightly. «Because if you hadn't done neuropressure, I probably would not have been born.»

The Vulcan moved her hands higher. «I do not understand what you mean.»

«Of course you do. You just don't want to admit it,» she turned slightly, «not even to yourself.»

T'Pol put her hands on her shoulders. «You have to stay straight.»

T'Mir turned back, smiling. «Exactly.»

(To be continued...)

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading. Thank you to everyone who's leaving feedback!

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	35. Chapter 35

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading. Thank you to everyone who's leaving feedback!

§35

When the doorbell rang, T'Pol jumped up and went to open it. Trip smiled at her doorway and she brought a finger to her lips.

«What?» whispered Trip.

T'Pol looked toward the bed. «T'Mir is sleeping.»

He looked at his daughter, asleep, with her hands near her face, sleeping like a baby. «I'm glad she seems not to suffer from insomnia like me...» he whispered. «Why is she sleeping in your bed?»

«I gave her neuropressure. She had back pain. She has fallen asleep there.»

Tucker turned to her. «We did a good job.» he whispered, and his soft breath pulled back slightly the hair from her ears. T'Mir was right: he found them sexy.

«In another universe,» she said.

Trip put his hand on her hip and leaned so close he was almost touching her. «So why not try to do so here?»

T'Pol thought over the temptation for a while. Sure, she wanted to repeat the «experiment» of a few days before... She gave him a slight push on his chest, to move away. «Not in front of our daughter.»

This time he could not blame her. «Then you like her.»

T'Pol stared at him. «Of course, she's my daughter.»

Tucker laughed softly. «Logical.»

«NOOOOOOOOO!»

T'Pol and Trip turned toward T'Mir. The Vulcan knelt beside her and took her by the shoulders. «T'Mir. Wake up. It's just a dream.»

She opened her eyes and sat up suddenly in bed. «Where...?»

«On Enterprise.» The vulcan sat down beside her.

«Where are they?»

«Calm down. You're safe,» T'Pol held her, making her put her head on her shoulder as in the vision of their mind meld.

«They who?» asked Trip.

T'Mir shook her head. «No... nothing... «

He hugged both women. «You're trembling.» he whispered, kissing her daughter on her hair.

«Can we stay like this for a while?»

«Of course,» whispered T'Pol.

§35bis

«Archer to T'Pol.»

... «Archer to T'Pol.»

... «Sub-commander, please reply.»

... «T'Pol?»

...

T'Mir opened her eyes. She was lying on T'Pol's bed, turned slightly on her left side, her forehead resting on her mother's shoulder, who was sleeping with her back against the wall. She could feel a warm body behind her, and imagined that Trip had fallen asleep on the same bed with her in the middle.

She put a hand on the vulcan's shoulder. «M'aih» she said. «Hey... T'Pol.»

The woman awoke with a start. «Yes? What is it?»

«Jonathan is calling you.»

T'Pol started to get up but stopped when she saw Trip sleeping like a baby, on the outer side of the bed.

«Do I need to move away?» asked T'Mir.

«No.» She shook her head. «I don't want to wake up... your father. I will climb over.» She got up slowly, put her foot on the edge of the bed and...

«T'Pol?»

...Slipped and fell completely over Tucker.

«T'Pol, not here with the baby,» said Trip, waking with a start. T'Pol pulled up quickly and ran to the door.

T'Mir threw a punch, not too hard, on Trip's shoulder.

«What have I done?» he said.

«I'm not a baby!»

Meanwhile, T'Pol had opened the door to Archer, who was calling her, and was now looking at her strangely. «You okay? I've been calling for almost five minutes.»

«Yes... Captain...»

Archer noted an inflection of embarrassment in her voice and could not help but draw a little personal satisfaction.

«I'm sorry, I must have been sleeping deeply.»

Hearing in the background - and especially having recognized the male voice - Archer leaned slightly into the doorway. «Have I interrupted something?»

T'Mir sat up and, leaning over Tucker, exclaimed: «Yes, we were sleeping great!»

«T'Mir!» Trip was tempted to plug her mouth with one hand.

Archer looked at the girl and laughed. «Sorry, but I need my science officer.»

T'Mir shrugged and laid back on the bed, resting her forehead on Trip's arm. «If you only need her, I go back to sleep.»

«I'll get dressed and I'll be right on the bridge, Captain.»

Archer nodded. «Of course, see you on the bridge.» He turned around and before leaving he added: «I'm sorry if I interrupted your family reunion. But it is a case of force majeure.»

«He knows?» asked Trip.

T'Mir nodded, but before the captain went away, she shouted after him something that neither he nor the other two officers understood. The tone seemed playful, and Archer walked away laughing. On the bridge, he approached Sato, and, almost in a whisper, asked: «Hoshi, what does the word ^rompipalle^ mean?»

The communications officer looked at him in amazement. «It's ... it's an Italian word.» she said, trying to wander. At the time on Enterprise Hoshi knew there were only two people who knew Italian: she and T'Mir.

«And what does it means?» he asked.

«Trust me. You do not want to know.»

(rompipalle = pain in the ass - more or less!)

§35ter

Left alone with Trip, T'Mir leaned on her father's chest and kissed him on the cheek. «Does it bother you if I stay here?» she asked, resting her head just above his heart.

«No,» he said, encircling her shoulders with one arm.

«I was often in this position... listening to your heart beating.»

Trip smiled slightly. «Yours is here below.» He said, brushing her side just through the covers. «Right?»

She nodded. «Vulcan heart, Human blood.»

«Manual skills of your father.»

T'Mir laughed. «Stop teasing T'Pol,» she sighed, «she did not want me to stay here.»

«Why?»

«She said that you spoiled me so.»

He laughed. «And I did it?»

«Oh, yes, you did.» T'Mir laughed too. «We had quarters like Archer's... I don't know if in this universe he has equal quarters. But it was big enough and there was the door of my room, smaller than this... but very nice. You brought me a souvenir from every planet where you had to land without me... A doll, a dress... I still love clothes. Once you've brought on board a tribble.»

«And... What is it?»

«A pet that can replicate itself over and over... Within a day they had infested the ship, fortunately Phlox had unleashed his animals and Archer's cat.»

«Archer has a cat in your universe?» It sounded very strange. Maybe it was a fighter cat.

«Yes, a beautiful tortoise shell cat.» She sighed. «When T'Pol began her shift before you, I got up and slipped in your bed to play with you. You called me 'my Dizzy Lizzy'.»

«Lizzy?» asked her father.

«Lizzy. Diminutive of Elizabeth. My Terran name, chosen by T'Pol. Elizabeth T'Mir Tucker IV, captain of Verne.» she said proudly.

«Your mother had to go crazy living with two Tuckers.»

They laughed together.

But then he turned serious, let out a slow sigh: «You know... who Elizabeth was? «

T'Mir nodded. «Yes, I know.»

§35quater

«Oh, is it already taken?»

Travis heard the musical voice coming over his head and looked up. T'Mir had one hand on the hatch and was watching him 'upside down'.

«There's room for both.» He smiled. «Come up.»

T'Mir gave a push and began to float in the air toward the helmsman. Within inches of him, she turned upside down and sat down gracefully beside him. «Am I disturbing you?»

Travis shook his head. «It seems that I'm not the only one on this ship to enjoy the 'sweet spot'.» He smiled. «As I call this place.» The helmsman was referring to a point about halfway between the gravity generator and the bow plate, where gravity would disappear for a few centimeters, then reverse.

«Appropriate term,» T'Mir said.

«It seems that you are used to it. You came here without any trouble.»

She nodded. «When I was a child, I came to a place like this. Verne doesn't have it.» In the hand that she hadn't used to thrust, she kept a container. She opened it and handed it to Travis. «Want some?»

«Strawberries?» He smiled. «Thank you. Very good... Hoshi told me that you attended the Academy in Milan.»

«Yes, but I've actually done much more directly on the ship where I was born. Like you, on the other hand, isn't it?»

Travis smiled. «The privilege of us space boomers. It was a cargo ship?»

«No, an exploration ship.»

«Commander Tucker said that Verne went to warp seven. What is it like to pilot a ship so fast?»

T'Mir finished eating a strawberry. «It's awfully hard to avoid the asteroids.»

Mayweather smiled.

«By the way,» T'Mir closed the empty container, since they had finished the strawberries. «Is it true that once Captain Archer threatened to fire you if you hit one bump?»

Travis laughed, T'Mir joined him. What excuse could she find to stay on Enterprise?

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	36. Chapter 36

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading. Thank you to everyone who's leaving feedback!

§36

«Hey, pretty boy.»

Trip turned when he heard T'Mir's voice. She was climbing the ladder that led to the engine controls.

«Hey, pretty girl.» He said. His smile faded slightly when he saw how she was dressed. She wore a pair of black boots to the knee, full of strings, over colorful tights. The black dress was so tiny that the white shirt under it was in full view. «You're dressed a bit... I mean...»

«What's wrong with this dress?» She asked.

«Well, it's a bit short. Anyone who passes under the platform can...» He cleared his throat and then said quietly: «Can see your underwear.»

T'Mir laughed slightly. «They're tights. They go up to my waist. Noone can see my underwear.» She said after a short break. «Are you jealous?» Then she whispered: «...Daddy.»

«No, but you'll make all the crewmen turn with that dress. And I do not want...»

She went closer to the controls, looking at the screen control. «It's never been a problem for you. T'Pol's tracksuits are no less sexy for this dress, not to mention your underwear...»

Trip smiled slightly. «Anyway, you're so well dressed.» He said. «Look... You had to be...» He put his hands about fifty centimeters apart. «...So small.»

«Yes, more or less.»

«And now you're the captain of a interuniversal warp 7 ship.»

T'Mir smiled. «I spent my childhood in a place like this. When I was seven, I already knew the warp engines better than fairy tales.»

«Your career must have been really quick.»

«I had the opportunity to make this flight test, and then I made a good leap forward.» She omitted many details. Unfortunately she had no choice.

«You should choose a quieter time to visit us.»

«Our interuniversal trips still have a limited window of time.» Here was another lie. She did not like telling lies to her father. To T'Pol, sometimes, she had lied, but with Trip... it was quite different.

The intercom rang. «Archer to T'Mir.»

«Everybody wants you.» Trip said.

She smiled. «Go ahead.»

«Would you join me for dinner tonight?»

T'Mir looked at his father smiling. «With the chief engineer and the science officer?»

«Of course.»

«We're coming.»

§36bis

«Thank you,» T'Mir said when the waiter brought a plate of pennette with pancetta and rosemary sauce, a dish that he also served to the captain and the engineer.

T'Pol received her plate of vegetables while watching her daughter with an eyebrow raised.

«M'aih, my blood is based on iron. If I do not eat meat I become anemic.»

«I like this dish.» Trip said.

«I know.» T'Mir smiled. «The day I was born you ate it too,» she said to T'Pol.

«Bacon too?» Trip asked, amazed.

«Yes. A few days later Phlox had to confirm that was the bacon that trigger my birth two weeks early.»

«Evidently,» she said flatly. «I should absolutely not have eaten it. Maybe I passed this bad habit on to you.»

T'Mir gave her a grin. «Easy to say when you have copper blood.»

T'Pol could not blame her and gave her a glance that the two men did not notice, a fleeting glance of understanding between mother and daughter.

«You told me you stayed in Milan for several years,» Archer said. «You ate Italian?»

«Yes, good food. Soval tried to get me to eat only Vulcan food, but could not do very much about it.»

Trip smiled slightly. T'Pol glared at him.

«Well, what were you doing now you always did when you talked about my diet.» T'Mir smiled.

Archer looked at them, smiling just to keep from laughing. Then he asked T'Mir: «Is your universe very different from this?»

«Basically, no.»

«I imagine that the intercept course with Enterprise was not randomly chosen.»

«It is a test flight. Soval allowed me to choose the coordinates in this universe given that I would not tell you who I am.»

Trip laughed.

«Naive,» T'Mir said.

«How are you going to get back, if Verne is destroyed and we have not yet the technology to fix it?» asked T'Pol.

If he had not known otherwise, Archer could have sworn that her voice betrayed a very un-vulcan thought: "You can not go back to your universe and you're stuck here, right? How wonderful!"

«Soval will take me with another ship, perhaps.» She took a short break and then added: «I hope not.»

§36 ter

After dinner, Archer and T'Pol were back on the bridge. Trip was free, and proposed to T'Mir to go to a "special place".

«You mean the "sweet spot"? I've have been there eating strawberries with Travis.»

«No, I thought of another place... nobody knows about it and it is a special place for me.»

T'Mir gave him a quizzical look. «I understand, you mean the back door of the G deck bridge?»

«How do you know?» [Yeah, how do I know?]

«I am your daughter. You took me there a thousand times.»

He laughed. «Right.»

So they went down to the lower deck of the ship, then took a small, narrow and low tunnel and eventually came out in a room with a large porthole from which they could see the stars streaming away.

«Archer, after writing a letter in response to a class of children on Earth, said on the ship two lovers have plenty of places to watch the stars.» T'Mir approached the glass.

«Yes... I remember that letter... I spoke...» Trip hesitated.

«About latrines.» She concluded. «You told me that this would be our place to watch the stars.» She turned left toward the back of the room and opened a door. «So we could also listen to music.»

Trip laughed. «I hid that stereo during the final upgrade of the Enterprise.»

«I know.» She said. «Nobody knows that's here. Even T'Pol, or Jonathan.»

A slow, sweet music started. T'Mir took his father's hand. «Shall we dance?»

He nodded. After all those days spent learning to dance with his brother had not been entirely wasted. Indeed.

When the music ended, T'Mir hugged him, leaning on his chest. «This is one of the best moments of my life...»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	37. Chapter 37

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: These parts are from my 1st story, please go to Chapter #46 if you do not wish to read them again.

§37

Her parents were both on duty and she wouldn't stand in their way, preventing them from doing their normal duty and, perhaps, dropping them from an engine... She retrieved her belongings, after they had been cleared by security.

She had slipped on a pair of colourful tights and a rather short black dress, and she stayed prone on the bed, reading, with legs bent back and her ankles crossed, raised on elbows.

«Come in.» she said, when she heard the doorbell.

Malcolm Reed smiled shyly when he entered.

«Am I annoying you, Captain?»

«Yes, if you talk to me formally,» she said. She smiled. «Call me T'Mir.»

Reed smiled awkwardly. He tended to be very shy with women. He pointed vaguely at the device on which she was reading. «Is it a PADD from the future?»

The girl looked at the object in her hand. «This one? Oh, no... It's an iPod.» She stood up and Malcolm could see that her dress was very short. T'Mir handed him the iPod. «It's nothing special, a similar one existed a hundred and fifty years ago.»

Malcolm quickly saw the menu. «Yes, I know it. I had one when I was a boy.»

«I can listen to music and read books. It can do little more.»

«And what were you reading?»

«'Nightfall' by Asimov and Silverberg. You should read it, I think you'd like it.» She smiled, then gave him a quizzical look.

«Oh,» Malcolm took a step back, embarrassed. «I wanted to ask if I can take a look at the Verne. It's not common that you can take a look to a ship like that... from the future of another universe.»

She nodded. «You are off duty?»

«Yes.»

«I'll come with you.» T'Mir turned off the iPod and walked toward the door.

«Um...» Malcolm stopped before exiting, looking towards the ground.

«What?» T'Mir followed his gaze and noticed that she was not wearing shoes. «Ops.» She said. «Wait, I'll put on a pair of boots.»

«You'd better cover up, the hangar is much colder than here.»

T'Mir nodded. «Yes... I haven't got many dresses anymore.» She took a black sweater and put it on, and then she followed Malcolm in the hallway. It was not exactly what he envisioned for «cover up». The sleeves came down past the wrist, spreading large, covering the back of her hands. The sweater itself was longer than the dress and fell right behind the knees. But the fact that it was a net and T'Mir had not closed on the front - and he had not seen laces or buttons - virtually nullified its purpose.

Reed, however, had to admit that the contrast between the colorful stockings and the black dress, her laced boots, made the small Vulcan-Human very pretty. Also – he noticed – she had the same pace of T'Pol... or rather, had something else similar to T'Pol's, something he had noticed immediately in the science officer... He looked away from her and came down the ramp to reach the Verne.

T'Mir and Malcolm went inside it and he was tempted to tell her to be careful not to get caught with the sweater, but then he stopped. The girl seemed to know perfectly how to get around in those clothes.

«I'll try to switch on systems, but I'm afraid there is very little left.» T'Mir pressed some buttons. The systems of Verne came on line, vibrating slightly, but seconds later the ship went silent.

«I think you should have Commander Tucker take a look at it.» Reed said. «He could probably fix it. Has he already seen it?»

«No,» replied T'Mir, exiting. «But I'm in no hurry. I'm sorry that I haven't the 'user manual', I would have willingly lent it to you.» She glanced quickly at the wrecked hull. «I called that book 'Okay, okay, but how do I fire the phasers?'»

Reed laughed. «Eloquent.» He pointed to a part that had a different colour, attached to the hull. It has a slightly flattened hemispherical shape and was purplish grey. «What's that?»

T'Mir leaned forward. «I don't know...» she whispered. «I don't remember it was part of Verne...» She stretched out her hand, trying to see if the object was moving, but it suddenly opened, releasing a spray of a liquid, smelly substance.

«^Ma che schifo!^» T'Mir exclaimed in Italian, then, at the same time, they both began to cough.

An alarm set off and the hangar automatically sealed.

T'Mir moved away from Verne, still coughing. «What's going on?»

«There is a biological contamination. Was it a weapon?»

T'Mir sat down on the ladder. Trying to catch her breath, the cough slowly passed. «I have no idea. It wasn't part of the Verne, I think someone had it attached during my journey, but I can not tell when or by whom.»

«Phlox to hangar.»

She went to answer the call.

«You must go into the decontamination chamber. There seems to be a contagious spore with you.»

«Ma che schifo!» It's disgusting.

§37bis

T'Mir rushed to the porthole of the decontamination chamber when Phlox appeared: «What's the problem?»

«It's all right, the spore will be eliminated by a combination of waves and gel. You will soon be out of here, don't worry!»

The girl let out a sigh of relief. She could never forgive herself if her negligence had caused injury to someone.

«The gel is in the compartment B.» Phlox said, throwing them a smile, before darkening the door.

T'Mir went without fail, passing a container to Malcolm.

«Have you ever been in a decontamination chamber?»

«Yes, sometimes.» She said. «It isn't the best of the experiences, but a broken arm is worse.»

At those words, Reed could not help but glance at her bare arms. He had already noticed a scar on her right wrist, which seemed to be from laser welder, but now that she was in her underwear he could distinctly see another scar about ten centimeters long that ran along the bottom of her left arm and ended where a perpendicular scar began. He wondered if in her universe Phlox had no way to avoid scars, but the thought was quickly sidetracked by a dark blue mark on the girl's left shoulder. He was about to ask if she had slammed somewhere, since at first it seemed like a bruise.

T'Mir, feeling he was staring at her, looked up at him and stopped rubbing on the gel. Her breath froze in her throat and a hot flush suddenly enveloped her. She forced herself to relax her muscles, trying to go with the mind, even if only for a moment, on the beach of her meditation. But she couldn't. She followed Malcolm's gaze and laughed nervously. «It's a tattoo.»

Reed looked away, embarrassed. «Sorry. It was not my intent to stare...»

«No, that's okay.» She said, but her voice was no longer safe and calm as before. She felt a slight tremor in her words. «It's vulcan.» She said. «-Ek'wak puksu - "forever warrior".»

«I did not know that tattoos were popular with the vulcans.»

«No...» T'Mir threw a quick look at Reed. «They're not. I got it on Earth.» She breathed deeply. «It was... a moment of insanity.» she said quickly, before going, almost running, into the adjoining room. She leaned against the wall with her arms, breathing slowly, trying to calm down.

Maybe she should have tried again to go into meditation.

-Could that ever happen in here?- she asked herself.

«T'Mir, are you okay?»

Reed had followed her and his voice sent chills up her back.

«Yes,» she said, too hastily. «I'm just a little 'hot'.» She turned and smiled nervously. -Wow, how young he is.-

«Perhaps it is better to warn Dr. Phlox, if it is a symptom...»

«No,» she said, her voice sharper than usual. «Um... No, no, I'm fine.»

Reed didn't seem very convinced, but he dropped it. «We have to rub the gel on our back.» He said, raising his hand that held the jar.

«Oh, uh, yeah, yeah.» she said. -This is all we need!-

Malcolm nodded and turned around.

T'Mir turned, rising her undershirt so little that was enough to uncover the part of her back that she could not reach alone. When Reed began to spread the gel on her back, T'Mir started. His touch was light and soft as his voice... she closed her eyes and tried to imagine being on the white beach of her meditation, but her breathing became more difficult and her thoughts were wandering in the wrong direction. -Yes, ok... the white sand... like his skin... No! The palm tree... is green... is... is a phallic symbol... no! The sea... fresh water... fluids...-

«Done.» Malcolm's voice brought her back to reality, handing her the jar: it was his turn. She turned slowly, trying not to look at him, but it was impossible. Especially because in her side beat a Vulcan heart. She took the gel and slowly began to rub it on Reed's back. Maybe if she took enough time, she would calm down.

Instead it was worse.

She rested her hands on his shoulders and squeezed gently. She stood on tiptoe and pressed her body against his back, giving him a kiss, open and wet on the side of his neck.

Malcolm shouted in surprise, he jumped up and turned around. «Captain T'Mir, what are you doing?»

She glanced languidly. «Such a nice boy like you, Malcolm... you should have women in every port.»

He shook his head slightly, blushing. «No, no... it is not like that.»

«Exactly... going around after so many months, with no distractions...» She put her arms around his neck. «Lets enjoy ourselves...» She put her leg around his hips, kissed him on the lips and pushed him back on the couch in the decontamination chamber.

[The tattoo is a tribute to the story «Eternal Warrior» by Stub and Quills]

§37ter

«May I?»

Commander Tucker looked up and saw Phlox holding a plate. «Of course.» Motioned for him to sit down at table with him. «How are T'Mir and Malcolm?»

«Good. They'll leave the decontamination chamber...» The doctor smiled. «...In two minutes!»

«And you tell me it now?» Trip smiled. «Can I tell them?»

Phlox nodded. «Of course.»

The engineer stood up. «Thanks, Doc.» He slapped his hand on his shoulder and went out, almost ran from the table. It took just two minutes to get to the decontamination chamber without rushing. He had discovered less than two days ago that T'Mir was his daughter, but he already loved her. He wanted to spend more time with her, he was going to ask her to go together to Engineering. And he was going to speak to Jonathan, maybe there was a way to keep her on Enterprise.

He walked into the decontamination chamber.

-What are we doing tonight, T'Mir? Movie night? Play basketball? Pecan pie cake while watching the streak of the stars at warp? Cuddles in T'Pol's bed?-

«Hey, guys,» he said entering. «You are free to ex...» The words died in his throat, replaced by a scream. «YOU SON OF A BITCH!»

Malcolm and T'Mir were still half asleep, lying together on the couch. Tucker lifted Reed bodily. «With all the women on this ship, why her?»

He made a couple of steps back, trying to understand what Trip was talking about, but before he could even speak, the engineer pushed him against the wall.

«Stop!» shouted T'Mir.

Malcolm leaned forward, trying to defend himself, but the other managed to dodge it. «I didn't know she was with you,» he shouted.

«Stop, both of you,» cried the girl.

Reed tried to avoid Tucker, but he managed to punch him on the jaw.

T'Mir put her arms around Trip's shoulders, pressing against his back, and stopped him: «No, father, stop! It was my fault!»

Malcolm took a step back and crashed against the wall, watching the other two with a puzzled look.

Trip lowered his hands and turned slowly toward T'Mir, who sighed. «I don't like when you two fight. You... are such good friends.» She bit her lip. «And then he can't help it, it's my fault... it's the pon-farr.» she added. Trip looked over her shoulder. Malcolm looked particularly upset. «Make peace, please.»

Tucker sighed.

«Daddy, please.» she repeated.

Trip briefly closed his eyes - how could he resist to this girl? He turned and looked at Malcolm.

The lieutenant shook his head slightly. «I'm sorry, I don't... I never could imagine...»

«Come on.» T'Mir nudged Trip, who finally held out his hand. «Sorry, Malcolm.» he said.

He nodded. «Of course, it is understandable... I... I think I would have... the same... reaction.»

T'Mir let out a sigh of relief. «That's better.» she said. Then she turned to her father. «Would you let me have a moment alone with Malcolm?»

Trip gave her a sidelong glance.

«Two minutes,» she said.

«Okay.» He said finally, not very convinced. He would have called T'Pol over the intercom, just to say that T'Mir was well and she was leaving the decontamination chamber, then he would go and take a cold shower.

T'Mir waited that Trip exited, then looked at Malcolm. «I'm sorry... I...»

He shook his head slightly, then smiled sheepishly. «There's no problem... it isn't the first time Trip and I have argued... But... if he is...» He stopped.

«My father.» T'Mir completed.

«Does that mean T'Pol is your...?»

«Mother.»

Reed took a deep breath. He was in trouble. In very deep trouble.

«But don't worry... I will keep them at bay.»

He let out a nervous laugh.

T'Mir leaned forward, closer to him. «Only... I ask you a favor... another one.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	38. Chapter 38

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading. Thank you to everyone who's leaving feedback!

§38

Archer turned when he heard the turbo-lift open. His tactical officer came out and greeted him.

«All right, Mr. Reed?»

«Yes, sir, thank you. I'm ready to get back to work. «

The captain nodded and he went to his armchair. He was about to turn around when he noticed a pretty big bruise on Malcolm's jaw. «What happened?»

He looked up slowly and Archer could see panic in his eyes. «Ah...» He hesitated. «When we were hit by the spore, I think I have fallen and slammed somewhere.»

Jonathan smelled a sensational lie, but left Reed alone. He got up and walked to his quarters. Once there, after a caress to Porthos, his beagle, he pressed the intercom. «Archer to T'Mir. Can you come to my quarters?»

§38bis

«Come in.»

When T'Mir entered, Porthos rushed to her. He had never seen her, but he always cheered a newcomer.

«Eeeeeek!» yelled T'Mir, caught by surprise, and jumped on the bed, hiding behind Archer, sitting on the backrest.

«Sorry. He's harmless, but has this habit of cheering up anyone.» Then he turned to the dog. «Get down, Porthos!» He turned to T'Mir. «Haven't I got a dog in your universe?»

«No, you have a cat.»

Archer laughed. «I can't imagine my life without a dog.»

«Yes, certainly, in my universe you say the same thing about the cats.»

«You have to be sitting behind my back?» he asked.

She shook her head slightly and very slowly sat down on the bed.

«Don't worry, Porthos is napping.»

«Did you call me for some special reason?» T'Mir was wearing uniform pants and the «Logic is my poetry» T-shirt. She was all in black and Archer thought they were too dark clothes and she seemed even smaller.

Even her hair was black. «Whom did you get your hair from?»

«From my grandfather. Did you call me for this? «

He shook his head. «No. I noticed that Lieutenant Reed has a bruise on his face.»

T'Mir was tempted to jump up and run wildly out of the quarters. She was blocked by the thought of a dog chasing her. «Ah... and...?»

«I was wondering...» Archer stood up. «...if by chance something happened that I should be aware of.»

She swallowed hard. -What the hell I'm going tell him now?- She shrugged her shoulders. «No... I don't think...» Well, *this* Jonathan Archer didn't know her from her birthday. Archer knew how her father was impulsive, not how it was with her.

The captain sighed. «I'm asking it explicitly, T'Mir. Has Reed done something improper, something that you had to defend yourself from... and now... you don't want to tell me the reason?»

«No,» she said. «No, no, you know, Malcolm? It's not really like him, come on.»

Archer nodded, relieved. Sure, T'Mir was right, Reed wasn't the one who made heavy advances. «Do you know how he got that bruise?»

T'Mir thought about saying the first lie that came to her mind but froze. «What did Malcolm say?»

He laughed. «That he fell.»

The girl sighed. «It was my fault.»

«And?»

T'Mir referred to another Astral Fleet, in a particular place and time far away, but now she was on his ship.

«He and Trip argued, because of me. Please do not make them pay the consequences for something I did.»

Archer was silent a moment, then said, «Okay. But... was it something serious?»

She shook her head. «No. In short...» She took a deep breath. When she was a girl, she was accustomed to tell everything to Jonathan, but since then twelve years had passed and many things had changed. «Let's say that Trip is a very protective father.»

«And you assure me that Reed has done nothing...»

She nodded. «Come on, you know. It was just a misunderstanding. Please let's drop the matter.»

Archer smiled and sat down beside her. «Okay.»

«Can I ask two favors?»

The captain nodded. «Tell me.»

«I... I'm not sure whether or not I'll be born in this universe... but if I'll be...» T'Mir paused for a moment, looking away from him, and Archer was able to notice a slight blush on her face. Yes, her blood was red.

«Yes?» he urged.

T'Mir looked up and smiled. «Promise me you'll teach me to flirt.»

Archer laughed: «Flirt? And why me? «

She looked up to heaven. «Come on, you're a first-class flirter!»

'Well, this remains to be verified...»

«Of course you are, you're the best seducer I know.» (In fact T'Mir didn't know Kirk.)

«Why should I teach you?»

She sighed. «Because I'm not in the least capable. I don't have the genes. I could have had T'Pol's coldness, or Trip's direct approach. And I've taken the last one...» She hugged him, laughing, but Archer noted that, in fact, that was a little girl's hug, not a woman seeking a husband. «It does not always go right for me.»

Archer patted her back as she would do with a daughter. «You're still very sweet.»

«T'Pol is sweet too, she just pretends.»

«And second favor?» asked Archer.

«I ran out of clothes, the ones I had on before were lost in decontamination. I have only a couple of dirty uniforms, this shirt and a robe for meditation.» She gave him a huge smile. «Can I have a uniform?»

Archer smiled and said, «Engineering department?»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	39. Chapter 39

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading. Thank you to everyone who's leaving feedback!

§39

Tucker stood at the door of T'Pol's quarters. He hesitated a moment to ring the doorbell, then went in when he heard her permission.

«T'Mir?» she asked him immediately.

«She's out of the decontamination chamber. I think she's gone to wash herself and then she'll come.»

T'Pol watched him for a moment: «Is there something wrong?»

Trip looked up suddenly. «No, no ... wh-why do you ask?»

She gave him a look of condescension. «Well, because tomorrow we'll probably have to recalibrate the injectors. The complete diagnosis is just finishing. I asked T'Mir to help us. «

Tucker nodded. «Yes... it's a good idea.»

The doorbell rang, T'Mir entered smiling and went to embrace the Vulcan. «How are you?» asked T'Pol.

«I'm okay.» She looked Trip. «You've told her?»

He shook his head slightly.

«Told what?» asked T'Pol.

T'Mir remained silent a moment, then shrugged. «I had a sexual encounter with Malcolm.»

«Malcolm - Lieutenant Reed?»

The girl nodded. «In the decontamination chamber, when we were in alone.»

T'Pol nodded slightly. «Is it good?»

The young woman smiled. «The best sex I ever had.»

«Good,» T'Pol said.

«GOOD?» yelled Trip.

T'Mir ran to hide behind T'Pol.

«Your daughter tells you that she had sex with a man who is... thirty years older than her and everything you say is 'good'?»

T'Pol raised an eyebrow, keeping her Vulcan calmness. «You Humans give too much relevance to sex.» T'Pol said. «You think of it in a too puritanical way. It is a physiological function. A simple physical act. And T'Mir is an adult as Human and as Vulcan. If the act was good, that's okay.»

Trip raised his hands with palms up. «I don't think I'll ever understand you completely. You and the pon-farr.»

T'Pol turned to T'Mir. The way in which she was hiding behind her had reminded her of the absurd image of herself hidden behind Reed. «Pon-farr?»

She sighed and nodded slightly.

«You're twenty-six, it's too early.» T'Pol's voice was dyed a light vein of concern.

T'Mir left her protected position behind her and sat down beside Trip. «Are you mad at me?»

He looked at her and all the disapproval vanished from his mind. «No.» He smiled. «No, in fact if I have to think of a partner for my daughter... I couldn't think of a better choice than Malcolm.» At least he was loyal man, kind, full of good will and sense of duty.

T'Mir smiled. «And *here* he is not thirty years older than me.»

Trip shrugged. «Maybe I could even say it was a fortune that he was the one there with you.»

She laughed. «But it was also obvious, I have always been in love with Malcolm.»

He looked up at the sky. «Malcolm?»

«Yeah, though I also had a crush on Jonathan and Travis. C'mon, daddy, I grew up on Enterprise, I saw them every day... it's normal!»

T'Pol interrupted what seemed like gibberish. «Is it because you're half human? I mean, pon-farr, at your age?»

The girl sighed. «No. It's... because of this.» She raised the left sleeve of her shirt and showed them the scar that Reed had noticed a little earlier.

«What's that?» Trip asked, taking her hand.

«An activator.» She whispered. «It causes pon-farr four times every two days, three times a year. It should have been activated the next month, but I imagine that the space-time travel has triggered the cycle.»

T'Pol lowered in front of her daughter and took her left hand in hers. «Why?»

«I am a Vuhlkansu-komihn, I have Human and Vulcans genes. The people who killed you and kidnapped me wanted to create other hybrids, with other races. This activator spared them the problem to convince me.»

Trip, quickly, hugged his daughter. «I'm sorry...»

T'Mir rested her head on his shoulder, even if she didn't need to be comforted in that moment. Now that part of her life was gone. But staying closed to her father was one of the purposes for which she had made that trip. «You have done everything possible.»

«You can't remove that thing because the anesthetics do not work on you.» T'Pol said.

T'Mir nodded. «Well, I also enjoy driving Soval crazy.» She laughed. «Every time I disappeared to look for a male and he could not even scold me... matter of biology.»

«How did they put that in your arm?» asked T'Pol.

«They just held me down.» She said simply. She sighed. «But I want to be free. And now I'm here with you... if you want to help me, I would ask Phlox to take it off.»

«The Vulcan pinch doesn't work?» asked Trip.

«No.»

«No?» asked T'Pol.

«When I was a child I broke this arm. Exposed fracture. You tried everything to take away the pain, even making me lose consciousness.»

«We?» asked Trip. «You mean that I have... shot you with a phaser?» That was the only thing he could think to use...

She nodded. «On stun it causes me pain and burns, the higher... I won't try.»

«But neuropressure can help?»

T'Mir nodded. She smiled.

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	40. Chapter 40

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

Author's note: Please, let me know if you like this story. Translate is a hard work, and it's not worth it if nobody's reading. Thank you to everyone who's leaving feedback!

§40

Phlox pointed and the screen display. «There it is.» He said. «It is wrapped around the nerve.»

«Yes, that's the bastard.» T'Mir sighed.

«And this, what is it?» The doctor Denobulan, despite his vast experience, had never seen two devices like that.

«It's an osteogenic stimulator. You have implanted me when I broke my arm when I was a child. After the fracture the bone structure of my arm tends to be fragile.»

«It will not be easy to take off the activator,» Phlox mused. «I would make a deep incision in the arm, move the muscle aside, remove the activator, being careful not to cut the nerve and close. Without anesthetic... it's immoral.»

«But the captain could give his consent to do so.» He turned to Archer. «Wouldn't you?»

Jonathan stood in silence for a few seconds. «Yes, yes, although I think it's an atrocity.»

«It's an atrocity being forced to mating twelve times a year,» She said. «Let's start.» She laid down on her left side on the biobed. «Come on, doc, cut and remove.»

«Wait,» he said. «Can't we find another way? For example, turn it off from the outside.»

T'Mir stood on her left elbow. «You underestimate your alter ego of my universe.»

«I must tie down your arm.» Phlox said, not yet convinced.

«Can we start, so we finish up quickly?»

Phlox decided for it and tied down her arm with two black bands. «It will not be pleasant.»

«I know.» She said. «When they implanted me, it hurt very much, but I am convinced that you will be more delicate.»

«Do not count on it.»

T'Mir smiled. «Phlox, here are my parents and Jonathan. I could not expect better. Open my arm and do not stop until you have removed it... even if I ask you to. «

T'Pol sat down behind her and gently put her hands on her shoulders, while Tucker stood before her and took her right hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

When Phlox began to cut, T'Pol felt her daughter's body stiffen. She loosened the tension on her shoulders. «I know that it is difficult, T'Mir, but try to be more relaxed, or I'm likely to hurt you.»

«More than Phlox?» she whispered. Without waiting for a response she closed her eyes, she focused on the Vulcan's delicate and sweet touch and on Trip's hand. -The beach...- she told herself. -Go on the beach.- But the pain was getting too strong.

She tried to sit up.

«No, stay down.» Trip pushed her against the bed.

«I want to go away!» she shouted.

«No, you don't want to leave. You want to get rid of it.» he continued. He approached her and kissed her cheek. «My daughter is not one that leaves things half done.»

Phlox thought they were well below half, but said nothing.

T'Mir gripped Trip's hand. «It hurts too much.»

«But you will be free.»

The girl shook her head. «I've changed my mind!» She pulled up abruptly, pushing away Trip. But her left arm was still attached and she screamed in pain.

«We're almost done,» said Phlox, lying shamelessly.

«I want to stop,» shouted T'Mir, trying to wriggle.

Archer and Tucker, not even needing to agree, pushed together on the biobed, blocking her.

«^LASCIATEMI!^» (Let me go!)

«Doctor, quick.» said the captain. His voice was barely audible over T'Mir's Italian cries.

«I'm doing as fast as I can, but if I make a mistake, I risk cutting the nerve!»

T'Pol looked up Trip. «Come here, you have to apply neuropressure to her.»

«Are you crazy?» he asked.

«No, come here, quick!»

Trip shook his head. «No!»

«Commander Tucker, come here! That's an order!» she shouted.

«No!»

«Trip, do what she says,» said Archer. «I order you too!» He had no idea what T'Pol had in mind, but if the two of them were going to fight, it would have been much worse for T'Mir.

He sighed and ran around the bed, while T'Pol did the opposite. «Please, doctor, hurry.» She whispered, as she passed behind Phlox. She stood beside T'Mir. Then she put her hand on her face. «T'Mir, listen, try to relax, just a few seconds...»

«It hurts too much!»

«I know.» T'Pol leaned forward. «We have to try a mind meld.»

A few seconds passed, then T'Mir found herself suddenly in a white space, a light mist blurred the outlines, but her mind was clearer than before. She could still feel the pain, but she could almost rationalize it.

She closed her eyes. «-M'aih?-»

«-I'm here.-» replied T'Pol.

«-What...?-»

«-I believe that Phlox has almost finished.-»

«-My arm hurts a lot.-»

«-I know-.» said T'Pol. «-But you do not want to be a slave to that device. You want to be free.-»

«-Yes.-»

«-You want to be free to choose. As it is right in your human nature.-»

«-Ah, m'aih.-» (Yes, mother.)

«-Then you must be strong, once again, for some time.- '

«I am finished.» Phlox said, resting her hand on T'Pol's shoulder. She drew back abruptly, suddenly taking a breath. She tried to stand but was too tired. Archer caught her before she fell to the ground and helped her to sit down.

T'Mir opened her eyes slowly and looked at her arm, now well bandaged. «Thanks to you all...» she whispered, with little strength left. «Phlox, the activator...»

«Yes, it's out.»

«Keep it...»

The four present threw her a questioning look.

«I want to break it with a hammer...» she said.

§40bis

Trip pulled back the curtain and looked at the two women, both in the same bed. T'Mir was asleep, leaning on T'Pol's shoulder, who with one hand was holding her left one, the other was caressing her hair.

Tucker entered the small room reserved for them in the sickbay and T'Pol almost immediately stopped caressing her daughter.

«You could carry on,» whispered Trip. He sat down beside the bed. «How are you?»

«She sleeps quite calmly.»

«You want me to take your place?»

T'Pol shook her head slightly. «No, if I move now, I may wake her up.»

«You were very brave to do that mind meld with her.»

The woman looked down at her daughter. «She needed help.»

«You've taken some of the pain she was feeling?»

«For a daughter, I can do this and more.»

Trip got up from his chair and went close to her. «You were fantastic, T'Pol. You two were fantastic.» He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. T'Pol closed her eyes, returning and enjoying the kiss.

«How nice you are...» T'Mir's half asleep voice caught them off guard and Trip pulled back abruptly.

«You're not asleep?» He smiled, embarrassed.

«I woke up...» she whispered, closing her eyes. «I didn't want to interrupt you two...»

«Yeah, well,» he stammered. «However...»

«Father, you don't have to justify yourself. I know that you have sex, otherwise where I'd come from?»

Trip blushed.

T'Pol raised an eyebrow, looking at him. «-Olozhikaik-» she said.

«Exactly,» T'Mir said, her voice still sleepy.

«Olo-what?» He asked.

«-Olozhikaik.-» repeated T'Mir. «It's one of the most important words in Vulcan.» She explained. «It means 'logic'.» She opened her eyes and smiled.

«So, while you're awake, do you mind if I take your mother's place, so she can rest a bit?»

«I don't need to rest now,» objected T'Pol.

T'Mir moved slightly and gave her a kiss on the cheek. «Goodbye, see you later.»

T'Pol got out of bed, not too convinced. While passing beside Trip, he touched her hand, smiling.

«Well, I think I've said some crazy things...» T'Mir said.

«I think you were cursing someone,» Trip said. «You were screaming in Italian and we didn't have a universal translator on hand...»

T'Mir laughed. «So much the better.» She grimaced in pain.

Tucker sat on the bed and took her in his arms. «Does that help?»

She nodded.

Trip leaned forward and kissed her on the temple. «My brave T'Mir...»

«I love you...» she said, just before falling asleep.

§40ter

Malcolm was sitting at a table in the mess hall, almost deserted.

«Is it free?»

He looked up when he heard T'Pol's voice. He nodded slightly, feeling his stomach twist.

The Vulcan sat before him, with a steaming cup. «I guess you've learned that T'Mir is my daughter.»

«Y-yes...»

«She told me you had sex with her in the decontamination chamber.»

Malcolm moved uncomfortably in his chair. It was true, well, T'Mir literally jumped on him, and as far as he knew, T'Mir risked her life, if she did not mate. But it was true that he also had enjoyed it. «Ye-ye... yes...»

T'Pol, with her typical Vulcan calm, looked at him: «If you hurt her, I'll kill you with a phase pistol.» Having said that she rose from the table. «See you on the bridge.» She went out, always calm.

Malcolm stared at the door for a few minutes, then got up and went down to the armory. He worked a long time, trying to calm his nerves... until he heard the door open and saw Trip enter. The commander greeted him casually, then stationed on his side. «All okay here?»

«Yes, I just finished testing.» Reed said.

«Look, Malcolm, about what happened today... I'm sorry I punched you, T'Mir has the right to do what she wants...»

Reed nodded nervously. He felt that there was a «but» as big as Enterprise at the end of that sentence.

And in fact it came. Trip leaned with one hand on the console, putting the other on his hip and looked at him seriously. «But if you make her suffer, I'll kill you slowly. I'll take off a piece of skin at a time and leave you tossing and turning in your blood for at least two weeks.» Then he clapped his hand on his shoulder. «I could not ask for a better son-in-law. See you at movie night?»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	41. Chapter 41

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§41

T'Mir was sitting on her bed in her quarters for a good twenty minutes, staring at the wall.

She was dismissed from the sickbay in the evening and now was night for the time on Enterprise.

Beside her on the bed, the uniform that Archer had promised her, a pair of wire cutters, a pair of scissors and a Velcro cuff that she could use as a bandage.

She couldn't start.

She raised her hand slightly with the iPod.

It was an ancient instrument, but its status was changed. She pressed «play» to access the clock menu, then look for a hidden function that no one would find without knowing it. A countdown, which at that time marked forty-seven minutes.

She sighed.

She couldn't wait any longer.

She took off the bandage that Phlox had put on her arm. She winced when she tore the dried blood from the skin. She took the cutter and started cutting the stitches that closed the incision. One by one, because her manual skills were technical, not of a doctor. One at a time and she felt such pain that she would, again, swear in Italian.

She tried to order herself not to cry, but tears began to flow against her will.

She didn't cry for the wound that she was reopening.

She was crying because that night when she said goodnight to T'Pol and Trip, Archer and Reed and all the others on the ship, she knew that was not a «see you tomorrow», but a farewell.

And she knew that she would miss them so much, not only her parents but all the other crewmembers.

Jonathan, when she was little, kept her on his knees to play, telling her of their past adventures and how her parents were always upstanding, both in their sense of duty, both in oddities, like the time Trip had saved the ship in his underwear. The same time that T'Pol had threatened to leave him handcuffed to a door... her beloved captain Jonathan.

Travis had taught her to drive and he played with her in the «sweet spot». Hoshi had taught her to read and write.

And above all, Malcolm: she loved him since she was eight years old, she had never forgotten him during the years in prison or when she roamed the space with Soval, and even when she met other men, of every race, in Milan. And now she had shared with him an intimacy she had never experienced before. She closed his eyes. She had never been with a male so sweet. She had hit rock bottom when, in the throes of pon-farr, and after a fight with Soval, she had let a klingon interpreter convince her to let him take her to bed ... «bed» was not the right expression, since they mated on the grass of the suburbs of Milan, under the stars. She was so drunk she couldn't even remember she agreed getting a tattoo. Or if he asked her to. She found herself the next morning, alone, still on the grass, in pain and with blood that dripped from her left shoulder, where, who knows who, had tattooed «forever warrior» in Vulcan. And the klingon was gone... she didn't even know his name. With Malcolm, it had been completely different. She remembered his uncertain caresses, shy kisses, the curious and discreet brushing on her pointed ears which she had liked so much, his introverted character even in making love with a Vulcan in heat.

She bit her lip not to scream when she tore the last stitch. She laid down on the bed, breathing heavily. She hurt so much that she would try to shoot herself with a high set phaser to take away the pain.

But she couldn't. She had to survive, because she had to accomplish her mission. She sat up, dabbing the blood that had begun to flood. Then she put the Velcro bandage on her arm and squeezed it.

She sighed when she picked up her uniform. The first thing she had to do was rip the left sleeve of her black T-shirt. She hesitated, then pulled the seam until it broke. She put on underwear, then took her uniform. No, she couldn't tear it. She made a cut, slowly and precisely, at the bottom of the left sleeve.

She stood and slowly slipped into her torn uniform, taking care not to damage it further.

She looked herself in the mirror, trying to ignore the cut on the sleeve, from it she could see the bandage. She had grown up with these uniforms. She adored them, they made her feel at home.

She sighed.

She watched the countdown on the iPod. She had too little time to linger in front of the mirror.

She left the room and walked in the deserted corridors. She knew the ship perfectly, she did not need to follow the directions that Soval had insisted on giving her.

Getting to the transporter room was simple. She began to quickly type commands and data she had learned by heart.

She cast another look at the iPod and synchronized the time with the startup. She swallowed hard. She was afraid. Afraid of failing.

But mostly of disappointing her parents.

She left the iPod on the transporter console and went to the platform.

She closed her eyes to focus on the countdown and, when there were left only ten seconds, opened them. «M'aih, father, forgive me.» She whispered. «Four, three, two, one, energize.»

T'Mir's body disappeared just before a loud bang shook the entire Enterprise.

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	42. Chapter 42

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§42

Captain Archer and his officers ran toward the bridge, awakened by the sudden tactical alert.

T'Pol and Trip crossed in the corridors, T'Pol running on the bridge and Trip to the engineering.

«Where's T'Mir?» asked Trip.

«In her quarters. She was very tired.» Their conversation stopped when their paths diverged.

As soon as T'Mir rematerialized, she began to walk along the corridor of purple steel that was in front of her.

She felt the onset of two phaser guns and turned. «/Stop, Vulcan./» It was the Xindi reptiles language.

She turned and looked at the Xindi weapon that was aimed to her. «/It's me./» she replied using the Xindi reptilian language, then added in Italian: «^Idiota.^»

Archer quickly arrived on the bridge with a firm step. «Report, Lieutenant.»

«An unknown ship.» Reed said.

«On screen.»

«It has come out of warp and opened fire against us. No harm, for now.»

«I don't recognize the ship.» T'Pol said.

«Hoshi, hail them.»

Sato quickly moved her hands on the console communication. «They don't answer sir.»

«Send a message: 'Power down your weapons or we will be forced to target you.'"

«/You might even be Soval in person./» the Xindi said, keeping the gun aimed at her. «/We aren't lowering weapons./»

T'Mir walked toward him confidently. «/There is an agreement between us./»

«/I repeat, you hybrid. Even if you were Soval /.»

«Sir, they still have weapons pointed at us.» Malcolm announced.

«Aim our weapon at theirs.»

Enterprise was rocked by a second attack.

«Lieutenant Reed, aim and fire weapons.»

«Aye, sir.»

On the screen appeared the red beam of Enterprise phasers. As always, the aim was perfect, but the ray stopped just a few meters from the enemy ship, broke up and what looked like shards of light flooded the screen.

The ship was hit by quakes, as if they were entered an asteroid field without polarizing the hull.

«I see five vital signs on board.» T'Pol said at last. «Four Xindi.»

«And the fifth?»

T'Pol said, her voice slightly uncertain. «Human.»

«Human?»

«Sir.» Reed called. «There was a transfer of energy.»

«Where?»

«From the transporter room.»

«Hoshi, have that checked.»

T'Pol looked up from the scanner to biosignals. «Captain...» Should she tell him? She swallowed nervously.

«Subcommander?,» said Jonathan, nervous because of T'Pol's hesitation. Since when T'Pol hesitate?

«I've conflicted readings. Now the vital sign is... vulcan.»

Archer swung around and stared at her.

T'Mir arrived on the bridge. Behind her a Xindi reptilian had a phase rifle aimed at her, and another one held her arm.

«/Look who's here, commander T'Mir/.»

She pulled her arm free. «/Now I'm captain./» she said annoyed. «/There's an agreement between Humans and Xindi./»

The Xindi Captain stood up and approached her. «/Human and Xindi. I don't think you,/» he bent over her, «/belong to one of these groups/.»

«/No, but you're shooting at a Terran ship./»

Archer approached T'Pol. «T'Mir left Enterprise via the transporter a few seconds before we received the first shot.»

The Vulcan shook her head slightly. She felt that the damage that had caused by trellium-D threatened to push to the surface the feelings she felt. She loved T'Mir, she was her daughter. Was it possible that they had been betrayed? She felt her muscles tremble slightly.

«Now T'Mir is on that Xindi ship.» Archer thought he was saying something that everyone knew perfectly. Maybe he didn't want to believe it and had to convince himself. Perhaps she was taken away by force.

The turbo-lift doors opened and Tucker come out.

«Commander, you should be in engineering,» Archer noted.

Trip raised his hand and showed him and T'Pol T'Mir's iPod. «This was on the transporter console,» he whispered. He was visibly upset.

§42bis

«/Stop shooting!/, ^figlio di puttana^!» T'Mir sprang forward, but her race to the Xindi captain was interrupted by the guard that fired his gun at her back. T'Mir shouted, feeling the phaser ray that struck her in the middle back, the pain searing and penetrating pervaded her body.

It was not so many years ago when she was shot by her father, he had aimed to her left shoulder, with a narrow beam, just enough to stun her. And since it was unsuccessful, he took her in his arms and cuddled for almost a whole day. She still remembered Phlox' voice, in the background, which criticized the methodology used and failed.

This time the pain was strong and felt the skin burnt where she had been hit. She remained on the ground floor of the Xindi ship, trying to catch her breath, as she heard in the background the Xindi captain contacting Enterprise.

«Sir.» Hoshi called. «They're calling.»

On the screen appeared the terrible face of a Xindi reptilian. «Starship Enterprise, any attempt of resistance is futile. Surrender and you will not be harmed.»

Archer turned to the screen. «Of course!» he said sarcastically. «Our two races are at war!»

The Xindi continued, with a smirk on his snake face: «You're wrong, Captain. You are not at war with us. But with the Xindi of this universe.»

Tucker thought he was going to puke. He had never had space sickness, but at that moment it seemed that Enterprise was collapsing on him.

T'Mir...

His T'Mir!

«It isn't possible,» he said.

«In ten minutes we will destroy your ship. You have that long to give up.» The transmission ended.

«Captain,» Reed called and his voice seemed uncertain. «It seems that they are calibrating their weapons on... our polarization frequencies.»

«Damn!» He turned to Hoshi. «Contact them. Say that I want to talk to T'Mir.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	43. Chapter 43

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§43

«^Quanto sei stronzo!^» Yelled T'Mir, in Italian. (You're such a bastard!)

«/I don't understand what you're saying./» the captain Xindi said. «/But it doesn't seem very friendly./» He raised his phase pistol.

T'Mir raised her arms in surrender. She felt that the wound was opening again, probably due to the shot. She felt blood flow to the elbow and soak the split. Red blood. Human blood, like her temperament. Jokingly, Phlox had said that human blood and Vulcan blood were exactly the same color... to the eyes of a color-blind. T'Mir tried to draw strength from those memories. She stood up. «/You made an agreement with Humans. And with the Vulcans./»

«/This is where you're wrong, *Captain*./» he stressed the rank. «/We Xindi have a pact with the humans in our universe. Not with these. And just the fact you're here, is indicative that the Vulcans are missed in that agreement./»

«/I have not fired on your ship./»

«/You are outside the Vulcan jurisdiction of our universe./»

«/You too, I think. I was on a pleasure trip, what is your excuse?/» She said. «/End the attack. These Humans will never be in our universe to bother you. They also are aware of your weak spot./»

The Xindi captain laughed. «/You're so naive. It's an exchange between Xindi 'brothers' from different universes. They do a favor to us, and us to them/.»

«/You are more advanced by thirty years. What the hell could they have so important for you?/» For real she knew it. Materials that were not anymore in their universe, such as lots of trellium-D which mark the boundaries that would not be crossed by nosy Vulcans. In his universe, and the era he came from, T'Mir knew it was a very rare element. Soval had discovered that loads of trellium-D were passed into their universe, threatening to undermine the balance of the multiverse.

«/It's none of your business./» The Xindi rose again the phaser and fired.

«I can't believe T'Mir gave them our frequencies,» said Tucker. «It isn't possible!»

«Sir.» Sato looked up on the captain. «They're calling again.»

The Xindi reappeared on the screen.

«Have you decided to surrender, Captain Archer?»

He stared at him. The Xindi looked too civil. «No.»

«If you shoot us, you'll kill one of you.»

T'Mir appeared on the screen, caught between two Xindi. She was alive but had more injuries than the first time they've seen her. She looked exhausted and the phase rifle pointed at her head didn't improve her appearance.

«She's not one of us,» Archer said.

T'Mir closed her eyes. She just wanted to vanish.

«Of course she is,» replied the other. He must be very careful. He thought that Humans knew the weak point of his ship, as T'Mir had suggested. And in fact, it could well be so, since she had just used it to teleport herself on the ship. «We can solve the matter peacefully.»

Archer let out a sardonic laugh. Did they just talk about 'peace'?

«We cracked your shield codes, we have weapons more advanced than yours. We don't want to kill you all. We just want Commander Charles Tucker and Sub-commander T'Pol. The others will be free to go.»

T'Mir raised her head, her eyes pointing toward the left part of the screen. «Malcolm, remember...!» A blow to her side silenced her.

Archer shook his head. «No.»

«So I guess little Tucker IV will come to a bad end.» He turned to the guard. «Let's give them a taste. Shoot.»

«No,» shouted Trip. «Leave her alone!»

T'Mir screamed worse than when she was in the sickbay and fell to the ground.

«So what do mommy and daddy want?»

Hoshi and Travis turned towards Trip. Even in the desperation of the situation they could not help but be deeply surprised.

«I will come,» Trip said.

«No.» Archer turned. Ok, now it was quite clear that T'Mir wasn't a spy, but there were still a lot of dark points.

«We want both of you,» said the Xindi.

«Captain,» T'Pol said, rising.

«Stay in your seats. That's an order.»

T'Mir laboriously pulled up. «/Let me talk to them./» She said. «/Without stopping me. They'll listen to me/.»

«/No/» said the reptile dryly.

«Does T'Mir speaks Xindi reptilian?» whispered Sato.

«It's one of the many things that she'll have to explain,» Archer said. «Try to lock on to her with the transporter.»

Malcolm shook his head. «She's under their shields.»

«/There was an agreement between us./» T'Mir went on, talking to the reptile. She pulled herself to her feet, leaning on the console. Behind her, the guards aimed weapons to her.

«Then, Captain Archer. Have you decided? The entire ship and this hybrid, or just those two?»

He shook his head. «Your proposal is not acceptable.»

T'Mir closed her eyes and, without being noticed by the Xindi, put her hand in the cut of her uniform. She just needed a simple, fast move... It was much more difficult to bear the pain if she had to do it to herself. She had the temptation to retract her hand. But finally she did it. She raised her arm quickly, showing what she had said Phlox to be an osteogenic stimulator.

The guards pointed to shoot, but the captain stopped them. He stood up, holding the gun pointed at her. «/Put it back from where you took it out/.»

«-Ponfo mirann.-» She smiled. «/No, you moron. And yes, it's what you think. A miniature V bomb/.»

«/It is not yet activated./»

«/Do you think I'm such an idiot to use a bomb that won't be created for forty years?/»

The Xindi captain seemed agitated.

«/Soval's temporal agents aren't just going to 2194. This is called a Garth bomb./» T'Mir laughed. «/I could just make it explode in my arm, activating it. But I preferred to give you a chance: it will explode in two minutes, when it's no longer in contact with me. Maybe if you hurry up and attack me, all four together, you will have time to deactivate it./»

«/You turn it off./» he ordered.

«/Why? You want to kill my parents. I can still hope to get out of here. Or I explode with the bomb, or I kill you. But you have time to think about it, as long as I am holding it./» She raised it higher. «/There's another little problem. After I launch it, in ten seconds it will detonate a stun micro-grenade, strong enough to prevent you from feeling pain./»

«/Turn it off now!/» shouted the Xindi.

«^Provaci tu, testa di cazzo!^» exclaimed T'Mir in Italian and threw the bomb as far as possible towards the far end of the bridge. All four Xindi turned from her and ran towards the bomb. T'Mir turned and ran toward the weak point of the ship. Maybe, if she ran fast, someone on Enterprise could have transported her back, at least to bring her to the court martial.

But the stunmicro-grenade exploded. T'Mir screamed and fell to the ground, unconscious.

Archer saw all the Xindi fall to the ground, stunned. «The transporter,» he ordered, and Trip, T'Pol and Malcolm didn't make him say it twice.

«There must be a weak point in their shields... but she is out of it, shit!» Tucker shouted. «I can not take her from here. Beam me there.»

«I will go.» T'Pol said, running towards the platform.

«No,» Malcolm went on first. «Come on, hurry up, send me!»

Trip took his arm while the other stopped Archer. «She's *my* daughter, it's my duty to go and take her!»

Reed gave him a shove. «Sorry, Trip, but T'Mir made me promise to defend you. You both. So it's up to me. «

T'Pol and Trip exchanged glances in surprise.

«Quick,» cried Malcolm.

Tucker nodded. «Bring her back to me,» he said, while energizing the transporter.

Malcolm reappeared under the weak point of the Xindi ship, and looked down the hall. T'Mir was lying on the ground less than ten meters away from him. He ran forward and turned her on her back. «T'Mir?» The girl didn't answer. He took her in his arms, she felt heavy, lifeless. Then he quickly ran to the weak point.

«Bring them here quickly,» said Archer to Trip.

Reed, with T'Mir in his arms, rematerialized in front of them. The lieutenant looked up to the girl's parents. «She doesn't respond...» His whisper was interrupted by the explosion of the Xindi ship. The shock wave caught Enterprise on her side, all her crew fell to the ground. But, after the wave front, all went back to calm. Too quiet. Trip got off the ground and ran on the platform.

«She doesn't move.» said Malcolm. «She's losing a lot of blood.»

Tucker took her in his arms. «Let's take her to Phlox!»

It never seemed so long from the teleport to the sickbay. «Phlox!» he yelled.

«Put her down here,» he said.

Trip gently placed T'Mir on the biobed. Her body was completely limp. Her left arm fell over the edge, red drops of blood dotted the floor clean. Phlox took her hand. «They have completely re-opened the wound,» he said. «Whoever did this is a real butcher!»

Trip leaned on her daughter, kissing her repeatedly on her face. «T'Mir, please... be strong...»

Phlox opened the girl's uniform. «She's full of phaser burns.» He pointed behind Archer. «Hand me those bandages.»

«Doctor, do something.» Trip was now in a panic.

«Get him out of here,» said Phlox.

«No! I want to stay here with her!»

«Captain, he is getting in my way.»

T'Pol took his arm, pulling him. «Come on, or you will make things worse.»

«But I want to stay here with her.» he said.

«So we'll just be in doctor's way.»

Trip let her drag him out of the sickbay.

Phlox finished bandaging her arm. «She has lost a lot of blood. I'll have to synthesize it as soon as possible. «

Archer looked at the girl and shuddered when he saw the phaser burns. Generally phasers set on stun caused slight redness. It seemed that they had shot her to kill.

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	44. Chapter 44

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§44

Tucker stopped in the middle of the corridor. «Let's go to her quarters,» he said.

T'Pol was about to tell him that it wasn't a good idea, but he was already on his way. She followed him without speaking.

«Look,» Trip said, entering T'Mir's room. He crouched down beside the bed. On the floor there were the bloody bandage and the cut stitches.

T'Pol bent down beside him, looking on the bed. There was a cutter and a pair of scissors. She took the first one and watched it. There were blood stains on the blades.

Tucker shook his head. «What the hell has she done?»

«She reopened the incision that Phlox made,» She said.

«Alone? And why?»

«To remove the bomb while she was on the Xindi ship.»

Trip sighed. He sat on the bed. «I don't understand... it seemed... they were friends... T'Mir and those bastards.»

T'Pol sat down beside him. «She has destroyed their ship, however, to defend us.»

He shook his head. «The stun micro-grenade... what if... if it's lethal for her?»

T'Pol closed her eyes. «We can't know that.»

The engineer turned and hugged T'Pol. «I don't want to lose her.»

«It could haven't lasted long, Trip. We knew from the beginning that sooner or later we would have lost her...»

«To lose her if she returns to her home is one thing... totally another is...»

T'Pol put her hand on his shoulder. «Phlox is a great doctor.»

Trip closed his eyes and two tears traced a line on his cheeks. «I love that girl... because she's our daughter... I can't lose her.»

«I can't stand it anymore, the wait is too long.»

T'Pol looked down. They were on T'Mir's bed, Trip had his head leaned against T'Pol's chest and swollen eyes.

«It's been only ten minutes.»

Trip closed his eyes. «How long will it take?» He never would have imagined to want to leave that position. T'Mir made him do and say things he had never thought he could do or say.

T'Pol also felt the same way. «I do not know.» She closed her eyes and leaned her cheek on Trip's hair.

As a Vulcan she could accurately count the passage of time, but this didn't improve the situation.

The intercom rang and, before Phlox' voice called them, T'Pol and Trip were already out of the room.

«I've treated her wounds.» Phlox said. «But she's still very weak...»

Trip pulled the curtain. «What will happen?» he asked.

Phlox sighed. «It's too early to tell. I have to replace her blood, she has lost much.»

«T'Mir told me she has human blood. I can give her mine.»

Meanwhile, T'Pol had approached the bed, in complete silence, almost without anyone noticing. She sat down and without touching anything, watched her daughter.

Phlox shook his head and pulled the curtain, leaving T'Mir alone. «I'm not sure it's exactly human blood.» Phlox said. «Of course, it's red, but may not be compatible.»

«Do your analysis.» He held out his arm.

Phlox put Tucker's the blood under the neutron microscope, then he looked up in surprise. «Commander, you are A positive.»

«Yes, that's right.»

The doctor shook his head slightly. He resumed using the microscope: «But T'Mir's blood is B positive.»

«There must be a mistake.» He felt that the panic was returning.

«No, you're not compatible. I have checked twice both samples. I can't waste any more time on this, I have to synthesize it.»

Trip shook his head slightly and slipped silently in the compartment where T'Mir rested. He looked at her. He had his skill. But it could be an acquired trait. Why lie to him?

While Phlox was at work, Captain Archer stared at the results of the analysis. Could it be that the other universe T'Pol had lied to both Trip and her daughter? He approached the room and looked through the slightly ajar curtain. T'Mir was B positive. Archer was B negative. This suggestion, for him, it was pretty gruesome.

«It was easier than I had hoped.» said Phlox and ran to attach the vial of blood to T'Mir's drip.

«But her vital signs...» whispered T'Pol. «...aren't improving, as they should.»

Phlox shook his head slightly. «For now it is normal. T'Mir is in self-care.»

«And what does that mean?» Tucker asked, almost in a whisper.

«It's a deep state of trance.» T'Pol said. «We need to focus all energies on the wounds to speed healing. Is she conscious?» she asked Phlox.

«That's what usually happens in self-care, yes, but I doubt T'Mir indeed is.»

«So it's a good thing?» Asked Archer.

«It depends.» Phlox said. «T'Mir suffered severe damage. I've managed to cure several wounds, but her physiology is unique. We just have to wait for the next few hours.»

Tucker sat down beside her and rested a hand gently on her face. «T'Mir, try to heal... because we have still many things to talk about.»

«So what's with you?» whispered T'Pol.

Trip turned to her. Even though he knew that was absurd, felt a vague sense of betrayal. «Phlox says that my blood and T'Mir's... are not compatible.»

T'Pol closed her eyes. «It's common.»

He shook his head slightly. «But in this case... she's B and I'm A.»

«You're thinking that she is not your daughter.» T'Pol said. Trip could have sworn that there was a hint of weariness in her voice.

«That's how it appears.»

The Vulcan raised an eyebrow. «It's illogical.»

Tucker gave her a hostile look, but his voice was a whisper. «Really? T'Mir took human blood.»

«Phlox did genetic tests that confirm T'Mir's version.»

Trip had to admit that she had a point. Genetics do not lie. «How will you explain the inconsistency of the type of blood?»

«I think you're the only one that's getting paranoid about it. My blood group is P and from what I know of human physiology, P is very similar to human B. Apparently T'Mir's blood is mixed more than we had previously thought.»

He felt a bit relieved. For once T'Pol's logic was in his favor.

«We can always ask Phlox to repeat his examinations.»

«Crossing them with Archer's?» he whispered.

T'Pol gave him a condescending look. «If it's so important for you, we'll do it, but I consider all this a waste of time.»

«What do you mean?»

She whirled toward him, coming so near him that Trip could feel her light breath on his face. «T'Mir is our daughter. Mine and yours. This is enough.» Albeit in a whisper, her tone did not allow doubt.

§44bis

The slight hum of the scanner immediately attracted T'Pol's attention. Tucker had fallen asleep on T'Mir's bed, holding her hand. The vulcan looked up on the monitor. She had observed it just a moment earlier, and she noticed that the vital signs had fallen over an hour before. She got up and left the tent. «Dr. Phlox?»

The doctor pointed to the screen. «I made again the blood tests as you asked and you're right: T'Mir took blood from you. I had never seen such a thing, in fact T'Mir is a very special individual that-»

«PHLOX!»

The doctor was startled and turned to the woman.

«T'Mir's vital signs are getting worse.»

He entered the room and looked at the monitor. «It's strange. In self-care they should improve...»

Trip blinked and looked up. «What's up?» He asked, but was ignored.

«It seems that...» Phlox shook his head. «I'm afraid T'Mir doesn't know how to exit the self-care alone.»

«I know it can be dangerous...» whispered T'Pol.

The doctor took T'Mir by the shoulders, shaking violently. «T'Mir! Wake up!»

«What are you doing?» Said Trip.

«She can't hear me.» Phlox said.

«I can make her listen to me.» T'Pol sat on the edge of the bed. It was not easy to live with this girl, she thought. Within the few days that had been on Enterprise, it was the third mind meld that she had to do. She felt a sense of loss, when she found herself on a beach. She looked around, but it seemed deserted. She walked quickly to the shore, where she could have a broader view of the place. She didn't know one could be in a mind meld with someone without seeing the counterpart. «T'Mir!» she called out. But no one answered. «T'Mir, where are you?» Then she saw a palm tree. She ran in that direction and when she got closer, she saw her daughter nestled at the foot of the plant.

«T'Mir.» She whispered, leaning close to her. «I think you lost your way back. Come on, I'll take you out.»

«No...» she whispered. «My parents are dead. And they kidnapped me. I don't want to get out of here. They hurt me, cut me and touch me and make me do things that I don't want to do.»

T'Pol put her hand on her shoulder. «No, not anymore, now you're safe. And we are here with you.»

T'Mir looked up, her eyes full of tears. «I don't want to get out of here. Because when I wake up, I have to go back to my universe, where you are dead.»

The Vulcan shook her head slightly. «But if you stay here, you risk dying...»

«Better death than a world without you.»

T'Pol shook her head and hugged her daughter, pulling her toward you. «In our universe we have yet to talk about so many things, T'Mir. You cannot stay here. Let's go.»

She shook her head. «I don't want to.»

«Your father has already lost a sister. How do you think he would feel if he loses you too?»

T'Mir didn't answered.

The woman stood up and took her daughter's hand, pulling her up. «Come on, lets go.»

She stood up slowly. «Do you like this place?» she whispered.

«Yes, it's very beautiful.»

«This is where I come when I meditate...»

T'Pol slowly opened her eyes.

«It's working.» Phlox said, waving a medical tricorder near T'Mir while checking the monitor.

«So why isn't she awake?» asked Tucker.

'Well, now it should be easy to awaken her completely...» Phlox placed the tricorder in T'Pol's hand and gave T'Mir a slap that made Trip scream: «What the hell are you doing?» He jumped to his feet, but was stopped by T'Pol, who put a hand on his chest. «She needs a strong stimulus,» she said.

«And there is no other way?» Tucker looked puzzled at Phlox drawing the girl a second slap. «Enough!»

T'Mir slowly opened her eyes.

«It worked,» T'Pol said.

The girl let out a loud moan of pain. «Did I fall on a plasma collector?»

Phlox smiled. «Welcome back.»

This time no one stopped Trip. He came to his daughter and kissed her forehead. «T'Mir!»

«Daddy...» she said. «Hello...»

«How do you feel?» asked T'Pol.

«Have I many burns?» she asked.

«Several phaser wounds,» replied the woman.

«Aah...» T'Mir complained, trying to move. «I swear that if I could I'd have some ecstasy...»

«Ecstasy?» asked Trip.

She nodded and let out another moan. «Can you turn me on my side, daddy?»

«Sure,» he said, putting his hand gently under her hip to turn her. «But what about the ecstasy...?»

«It stuns me and takes away the pain.» she said.

Trip turned to T'Pol and she shrugged her shoulders slightly.

«Why did not you say so before?»

«Ecstasy breaks my neurons. I don't really like to use it. It's dangerous.»

Archer opened the curtain: Phlox had called him and he ran to the sickbay from the bridge. «T'Mir! How are you?»

«Oh captain, my captain,» she proclaimed. «What can I offer you not to take me to court-martial? Five bars of gold?»

He laughed. «It seems you are fine.»

«Yeah, well, apart from the skin at 451° F...»

Phlox shook his head. «Your temperature is much lower.» He said. «The canonical Vulcan 33°C.»

T'Mir blinked slightly. «Why am I here? I remember that the stun micro-grenade exploded when I was still on the Xindi ship.»

«That's a really good anesthetic for you.» Phlox said.

«Malcolm came to you and brought you away, back here on Enterprise,» Archer replied, crouching at her bedside. «Certainly you've made us suffer.»

She smiled. «Sorry.» She closed her eyes. More than anything, she felt the skin of her back burning. «Is it all right now?»

«The Xindi ship exploded shortly after you and Malcolm were back on board,» said Trip.

«Of course, there are many things that still remain... unclear,» Archer said. «But I wouldn't send you to the court martial.»

T'Mir sighed. «I know. I regret having kept it all hidden from you...»

«Not everything,» Phlox said. «Just that the Xindi ship of your universe was going to destroy us.»

«I tried to convince them to turn around,» she said. «But diplomacy is not my best side.» She smiled and, like everyone else, looked at Trip.

«Why are you all looking at me?» he asked. Then shrugged. «How did you learn the Xindi reptilian language?»

«Hoshi,» she said. «It was our secret code. A strange language that only she and I spoke on Enterprise.»

«It seemed that you knew the crew.»

«I knew the captain. We took the same flight course at the Academy.»

«Xindi and Humans are allies?» asked Archer.

«Yes, in the future from which I come.»

«You said... together? With a Xindi?» Trip already felt his stomach twist.

«Yes, in the flight course, daddy.» she explained. «And if you all are wondering, no, I've never been with a Xindi. Nor with a Xindi humanoid.»

Trip laughed and gave another kiss to T'Mir. «Of course you risked very much.»

«Yes, but it went well. According to Soval's plans, I should not be here.»

«It was a suicide mission,» T'Pol said. «But I don't see the logic of it.»

T'Mir gave her a look: 'I had no doubts.' «We knew that the Xindi ship would come to this universe to kill you both. A trade-off between the Xindi of my universe and the ones of yours. I was the best candidate for this mission. I'm motivated, I knew the captain, I speak Xindi reptilian language, I know Enterprise... We had to stop them or they would kill you both. Knowing that I would be body searched, the only way was to use a weapon under the skin. When Phlox opened my arm, I thought maybe I could try to save you.»

Trip shook his head. «But it makes no sense. You have risked being killed, just to save us?»

«Neither I nor your father,» T'Pol continued. «believe that is correct... we are no more important than you.»

T'Mir sighed. «For me, yes... for the story... you may not. But Lorian is much more important than me.»

The Vulcan looked at the girl. «Who... Who is Lorian?»

Archer could swear he heard amazement in her voice.

«Lorian is... my brother.»

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	45. Chapter 45

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§45

T'Mir, sitting up in bed in the sickbay, was fiddling with the iPod when she heard someone coughing lightly. She looked up and saw Malcolm. «Hey, hello!» She said, holding out her arms towards him.

«Hello,» Reed said, without making any step towards her.

«Thanks for having kept the promise.» T'Mir said. «And also having risked your life to save me.»

He finally came near her. «Duty.»

«Oh come on, come here and hug me,» she said. «Be careful, however, I have phaser burns on chest, back, arms... in short, a bit everywhere.»

Malcolm ran his hands slowly around her shoulders. It was a bit difficult and even embarrassing for him.

«Mmhmm ... no, it's no good.» T'Mir said. «Give me a kiss.»

Reed drew back and looked around. «No... I don't think it's opportune.»

«My parents haven't done something to you, right?»

Malcolm looked down. «Hmm... no.»

«You don't need to defend them from me. It was not what I meant with the promise that I asked of you.»

He laughed nervously. «They told me that... that they would have killed me if I made you suffer. At this point I would prefer being killed by T'Pol: she has promised to kill me with a phase pistol... Trip said that I would die slowly.»

She laughed, imagining T'Pol, quietly standing behind Reed, while calmly making that promise. «You didn't hurt me.» She took him by the arm and pulled him towards her. Quickly she put a hand behind his head and tugged him down to kiss her.

Malcolm took her face in her hands, savoring those moments of sweetness and hoping no one came in at that time.

«You should have more fun.» T'Mir said. «I hope... I am not the one that make you suffer.»

«For what reason?» Malcolm straighten up.

«Am I interrupting something?»

The lieutenant turned as Archer appeared.

«No,» he said. «I was about to leave.» He smiled at T'Mir and left through the curtain.

«You okay?»

She nodded slightly. «You came to give me bad news, right?»

Jonathan sat on the edge of the bed. «I don't know if... it is precisely definable as 'bad'.»

T'Mir lay back against the pillow, taking care not to touch her shoulder and back. «Soval.»

Archer nodded. «We have a rendezvous with his ship in two days.»

«Two days ... Not even time to catch my breath.» T'Mir sighed. «I don't want to go back to that universe. It sucks.»

He nodded. «I know.» He took her hand. «I can give you an assignment on this ship. We can find an excuse for you to be here.»

T'Mir shook her head. «The whole mission on Verne was to last only eight days. It was unrealistic to think that could continue indefinitely.»

The words sounded familiar, but he knew she was right. The captain nodded. «I'll miss you... and not just me. But... I was thinking about something. At this moment, in this universe, there are Ambassador Soval of my universe and Admiral Soval of yours. Two Sovals in a single universe.»

T'Mir laughed. «Are you giving me a good reason to go back in my universe?» She hugged him. «Could I ask a favor? One last favor?»

«Of course. What?» He asked.

«There's a Minshara class world not far from here. It's not inhabited, but has a beautiful turquoise sea.»

«I don't know if, by making a detour, we'll arrive in time to the rendezvous.»

T'Mir shook her head. «We must arrive at least two hours late,» she said. «Otherwise Soval will think you had me brainwashed.»

§45bis

Trip watched with concern the large flat surface of the turquoise sea. «Where's T'Mir?»

T'Pol stepped forward, getting her feet into the water. «I can't see her.»

The girl suddenly re-emerged and smiled to the three persons remaining on the shore. «Come, come! It's beautiful, it's hot!»

Trip gave a smile to T'Pol and Archer. «How can you resist to an invitation like that?» He ran into the water and reached her daughter. «So we have done this too,» He said. T'Mir embraced him, kissing him on the cheek. «I love you,» she said, «and nothing will ever change that.»

Trip smiled. «Me too.» He hug her and closed his eyes. Few days had passed since she entered into his life, over the warp drive. But she felt so close to him, his daughter. «I'll miss you.»

Archer looked at T'Pol. «Aren't you going in?»

«Sea bath is not exactly a type of vulcan recreation.»

«Sub-commander, are you tell me you cannot swim?» Archer smiled at her.

«I can swim in all Vulcan styles and some from Earth,» she stressed.

«So what are waiting for?» Without waiting for an answer, Jonathan went into the water. She was right, it was hot.

T'Mir stopped playing in the water with Trip and swam to shore. «What are you waiting for?» She took the woman by the hand and together they entered the water. «It's hot.»

T'Pol nodded. «Like the sea of Vulcan.»

T'Mir glanced to see where the two men were. They were far enough away from them and looked like they were mimicking a water polo game - without the ball. «I must tell you something. But... I need it to remain between us. Do not tell daddy... neither Jonathan nor... Malcolm or others.»

«A secret, in fact.» said T'Pol

«-M'aih... i k'kan.-»

T'Pol glanced at the two men and then brought attention to T'Mir. «It's Malcolm's?»

«Yes... After all these years with that activator in my arm, I... didn't expect to be able to have children. I am a hybrid and hybrids are usually sterile... This is wonderful news for me.»

«Are you happy?»

«-Ah, m'aih.- Yes, mother.»

The Vulcan took her daughter's face gently in her hands. «Take care of yourself... and of it.»

«Her,» corrected T'Mir. «It's a girl.» She smiled. «Charline T'Pol Tucker.»

T'Pol kissed her cheek. «I'll miss you.»

Her daughter nodded. «Me too.»

«Will you stop gossiping and join us?» yelled Trip.

She laughed, started to turn around, but the Vulcan took her hand under water. «Be happy.»

T'Mir could see a small, quick smile on T'Pol's face.

Now she could go home. She had accomplished her second mission too: make T'Pol smile.

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	46. Chapter 46

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§46

T'Mir closed the bag. She looked around what had been, for a few days, her room on that Enterprise of two years before she was born. She had recovered what little they had saved from the attack on Verne.

She went out of her room and walked down the hallway to Malcolm's door. She hesitated a moment, then rang the doorbell and went inside.

«Hello.» He smiled. «I know you're leaving... I wanted to come and say hello, but I see that you are here.»

«I know you do not like goodbyes... that's why I'm here.» T'Mir hugged him. «I'll miss you so much that I'll continually break Soval's balls to come back here.»

Reed held her. «I'll miss you too»

She leaned her forehead to his neck. «Do not forget me.»

«I could never. Do not forget me either.»

T'Mir smiled, thinking of the little life that was growing inside her. «It would be impossible.»

She walked away slowly, holding his hand until ithey were too far away to keep in touch. «See you soon.» She whispered. She sent him a kiss from distance, then left. She picked up her bag and went to the docking port. Soval's vessel was docked and Archer, T'Pol and Trip were standing near the door waiting for the end of the maneuvers and the arrival of T'Mir.

She put her bag on the floor and sighed. «So, time to say goodbye has come.» She whispered. Soval was right: it was painful to have to leave. She turned to Archer. «I'll miss you, captain.» She said, hugging him. «Thanks for everything.»

«It was a pleasure.»

The girl turned to T'Pol. «-M'aih...-» said in Vulcan. «-You will always be in my heart. I love you.-»

T'Pol leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. «-Me too.-» She gave her a hug, strong and warm, but not very long, as befitting two Vulcans in public.

T'Mir turned to Trip. Both had tears in their eyes. T'Mir did not lose any more time and hugged him, tight, as if to keep attached to the rock over a cliff. Trip did not care that other people could see his expressions of affection. He squeezed her daughter to him, kissing her cheeks and forehead. He thought to take her in his arms and run away, to the launch hangar, get into a shuttle and run away with her farther and farther away from Enterprise and mostly away from Soval that wanted to tear his daughter from him, the daughter for whom he had fought so hard, he loved so even if he had not yet - or ever would - conceived.

The noise of the first door that opened had them back off lightly. T'Mir smiled. «Do not forget me.»

«I could not even as a joke,» he smiled.

Soval came through the second door and greeted them. «Captain Archer, Commander T'Pol, Commander Tucker.» Then he turned to the young vulcan. «Captain T'Mir.»

«Admiral Soval,» she said.

«The mission was completely successful. Also thanks to you.» Soval said. «We can go.»

T'Mir nodded. «Only... just a minute.» She turned to his father, hugging him again. «Just a minute... I want to stay here with you, only more a minute... Give me a moment.»

Trip closed his eyes, trying not to cry. T'Mir was now completely in tears.

«T'Mir.» Soval's voice was barely a whisper. «We must go, or the rift will close.»

«Just a minute... please, just one more minute with my father...»

Soval sighed slightly. He told her not to reveal her identity, but as he had expected had not been able to retain.

T'Mir moved away slightly. «I'll miss you, daddy... I'll miss you so much...»

Trip nodded. He kissed her forehead again. «Me too.»

The girl took a step back. «I love you ...» T'Mir took a deep breath. «Let's go.» She walked to the door. She turned to T'Pol, smiled, and then to Trip and raised her hand in the Vulcan salute. She waited until Trip responded similarly, then she crossed the threshold.

(To be continued...)

Thanks to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who's betareading this story in English, and to Seti and Franz who had betaread it in Italian.

All my stories are published in Italian on my blog.


	47. Chapter 47

**I Naviganti 2: "K'lalatar Prnak'lirli K'lalatar Prkori**

**(Infinite Combinations in Infinite Diversity)"**

by Monica MicioGatta

with Seti's collaboration.

§47

Soval entered the sickbay. «So, what's the problem?»

«A slight space sickness.» the doctor said. «But our T'Mir will recover soon. The wound on her arm is healing well.»

«Space sickness? But she is a space booomer, how can she get space sickness?»

The doctor glanced at T'Mir.

«I'm pregnant.» she said, nonchalantly.

Soval had the impression that the ship had opened beneath his feet, but tried to calm down. He failed completely. «Pregnant?»

«Yes, it means that soon I'll have a daughter.»

«Admiral, are you okay?» asked the doctor. -He's going to have a heart attack...- she thought.

«And... and who's the father?»

«Lieutenant Malcolm Reed.» T'Mir stood up.

«You were in that universe for eight days!»

«Yes, of course, but for years I was in love with Malcolm. And I still am. Space sickness will pass.» She stood up. «Do not worry, I will not ask you to be my babysitter. And for once... just once, if you just can not show happiness for me, at least you could avoid seeing it as a tragedy?»

§47bis

When Archer entered the white corridor he immediately noticed T'Mir sitting in front of the glass.

«Hey.»

She looked up and smiled. «Hello, I haven't seen you for a while.»

«I called Soval, a few days ago, I was told you were on a mission.» He sat down beside her and pushed aside a lock of hair from her forehead. «And how was that mission? Are you okay? You... are bruised.»

«I...» T'Mir hesitated. -Ah, who gives a fuck.- «I have gone back in time in another universe.»

Archer looked at her in amazement. «What has Soval said about this?»

«It was he who projected the mission.»

«And what happened to the Temporal Prime Directive?»

«I came back just to fix the damage done by a temporal agent of our universe. It was amazing.» She sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. «I have seen all of you nearly thirty years younger, and how you were then, in that universe... You know m'aih in that universe is even more rigid?»

«Can it be?» Archer laughed. «And the other ones?»

«Daddy is the same... sweet and crazy. You also are the same. I could almost say that Malcolm is not so, it is hard to say. And Phlox is less clumsy.»

He put his arm around her shoulders.

«It was nice to see them...» T'Mir sighed. She stood up and leaned against the glass in front of her. Behind it, the chamber where Malcolm Reed was in suspended animation. «How long will it take?»

«I do not know. Nobody knows. It may take years.»

T'Mir turned to him. «I'm pregnant. And the father is the Malcolm Reed from the other universe.»

Archer could not hide his surprise. «It was a serious thing... I always thought it was teenage infatuation.»

She shook her head slightly. «No, and most importantly we found ourselves locked in decontamination room during my pon farr. And he was so sweet, so... shy and above all so beautiful and so young...»

«Soval knows it?»

«Yes, he almost had a heart attack.»

«And Reed... I mean, the Reed the other universe?»

«No, there only m'aih knows.»

«Why did not you tell Trip?»

T'Mir closed her eyes. «Because for him would be too much to lose me and his niece...»

«You think you will tell him?» He pointed to Malcolm behind the glass.

«I do not know.»

Archer took her arm. «Come on now. You can not do anything. You can stay with me if you want.» They walked out of the Center for Life Suspension. «I have a beautiful guest room, you can stay there.»

«Until the baby is born?»

«Until she marries.»

T'Mir laughed.

«So it's a girl,» continued Archer.

She nodded. «Charline T'Pol Tucker.»

«No... it's horrible.»

«No, that's not true! It's nice.»

«Come on, "Charline" is tremendous. And even T'Pol, such a name, I never liked it.»

T'Mir smiled. «It's okay, it's just right she'll have those names. And m'aih? It 's true that you had a crush on her?»

Archer laughed. «Well, is there another question?»

§47ter

Jonathan turned the light on and looked towards the door. «Come in.»

«I woke you up.» T'Mir said.

He shook his head slightly. «Do not worry. Is there something wrong?» He motioned her to sit on the bed.

«I have a panic attack. Or at least I think it's panic. I've never felt it.»

Jonathan smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. «What do you feel?»

«I'm afraid... I... I do not know if I'll be able raise this child. Alone, without my mother or my father.»

«Yes, it is true that your parents are not here. But you're not alone.»

T'Mir smiled. «Yes, I know... It's just that... Soval was right. Losing them again is not easy.»

Archer pressed the button on the monitor and struggled to hold back a sigh when Soval appeared. «Admiral Soval,» he greeted him.

«Admiral Archer.» It seemed an unnecessary exchange of pleasantries. «I'd like speak to T'Mir.»

«She's asleep.» The answer came sharper than he wanted. «You can leave her a message.»

«I don't have to say anything in particular,» admitted Soval. «But it's a month since I heard from her.»

«I assure you that she's fine.» Archer looked at the right corner of the monitor. «I have an incoming call. See you soon.» He quickly closed Soval's call to open the other.

«T'Mir,» whispered Jonathan, just opening the door of the guest room, where she stayed for over a month. He reached the bed quietly. «T'Mir.»

She opened her eyes slightly. «Yeah?»

«Sorry, I'm sorry I woke you up...» He smiled. «But you're not the only one who woke up this morning...»

T'Mir sat on the bed: «Malcolm?»

«I'll go.» She whispered sleepily.

«No, leave it to me.» T'Mir turned, but he stopped her with one hand on her shoulder.

«No. It's my turn,» he said.

«You said that the last four times.» T'Mir turned on the dim light on the head of the bed.

Malcolm took the baby in his arms.

«Did he pee?"»

«Two or three liters...» he said. «Come on, Jonathan, we're going to have to change you.» Malcolm disappeared behind the bathroom door with the baby.

T'Mir turned when she heard someone coming up on the bed. «And what are you doing here?»

The small five-year girl crouched beside her. «Jonathan woke me up,» she said.

«So we are three.» She gave her a kiss on the forehead. «Do you want to stay and sleep in the big bed?»

She nodded.

Malcolm returned from the bathroom with the sleeping baby. «We have a guest.» He smiled at the little one. He stroked gently the pointed ears of his son. «We'll need a bigger bed.»

T'Mir laughed. «No, why? It's so nice to be all close.»

Malcolm looked at his family for a few seconds. T'Mir had wanted to give both surnames, and both children had a terrestrial and a Vulcan name: Charline T'Pol Tucker Reed and Jonathan Lorian Tucker Reed.

When he had, years before, in a surreal situation, known that he would not never married and never had children, he did not dreamed of being left with two beautiful little children with pointy ears, whose mother was the daughter of T'Pol and Trip.

He gave a kiss to his children and to T'Mir, then turned off the light.

Maybe one day they could return to space.

One day when the ships were much larger than the Enterprise NX-01... when they were big enough to accommodate happy families.

THE END

(I ended writing this story November the 1st, 2007.)

August 11th, 2011

Do you want to know what will happen to T'Mir in 40 years?

Do you want top know how will Charline be?

Do you want to know how Charline will be an important part in saving Trip's life?

With two parents in Starfleet, do you want to know what will be Charline?

Well... if yes is your answer, you have to learn Italian. Sorry, but after all the problems I found when publishing (or try to) these stories, I'm not able to translate again. All my stories are published in Italian on my blog. Maybe I'll translate some teasers, so you can decide if you're interested in the story or not.

To me it's easy to write in Italian, but English is not my language, almost every sentence in Italian is too complex to be translated easy in English. It's too hard to do it only to have a lot of problems I don't deserve.

Thank you to all you who have read and appreciated my stories.

I want to thank to Tishkajaku and Zero Credibility who had betareading this story in English, patiently changed and turned this story in what we think is correct English, readable and enjoyable.

I also want to thank Seti and Franz who still betaread all my stories in Italian and always point out what isn't right.

That's all folks, this is the end.


End file.
